West Seattle, Washington
01 Friday
(WSB photo from June 1st @ Denny)
Two weeks after Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole visited Denny International Middle School and heard students request more help from police in staying safe (WSB coverage here), members of her department followed up to start making good on that promise. Southwest/South Precincts Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon shares these notes of what happened when they visited the Denny/Sealth campus this past Monday, one day before the last day of school, particularly to lay the groundwork for a safer start next fall:
* SPD Reps met up with students and staff at 12:40 at classroom
* Walked SW Kenyon Street between 2600 Block and Delridge SW
* Walked from Kenyon & Delridge to Holden & Delridge; observed Holden Stairs; returned to Denny via same route
* Mark drove routes between Denny/Sealth Campus and Westwood Village to observe areas about which students expressed concerns.
* SPD Officers spoke with students about ways to minimize their chances for victimization (Robbery/Assault)
* Discussed the possibility of SPD officers getting together with students at the beginning of the school year to discuss safety measures; being proactive and focus on prevention vs. being reactionary.
Measures in Progress
* Mark will work with Youth Ambassadors and Denny Staff through the summer to engage surrounding neighbors to form Block Watch groups with have Denny/Sealth student safety as a prime focus.
* Mark will facilitate communication between the Youth Ambassadors Program and The Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative regarding the Safe Passages Program (a group of adult volunteers who provide a presence in the Rainier Beach community between the 1400-1800 hrs on school days to deter youth violence and disorder). The goal is to try to implement this program for the Denny/Sealth campus area by the fall of 2015.
Recommendations
* Raise tree canopy on SW Kenyon Street Between 2400 – 2600 Blocks. Tree canopy should be no lower than 8′ to ensure good lines of sight for pedestrians transiting SW Kenyon ST.
* Request SDOT conduct additional vegetation clearing at dead end of SW Kenyon ST & 24th Ave SW.
* Request SDOT conduct vegetation clearing along trail/walkway/bridge over creek between Delridge WY SW & 24th Ave SW along SW Kenyon Street (Longfellow Creek Legacy Trail).
* Request additional vegetation clearing be done on the Holden Stairs, between Delridge WY SY & 20th Ave SW. (possible return of the goat herd?)
* Request vegetation clearing along the non-through streets of 26th Ave SW, 25th Ave SW and the North/South Alley that runs parallel between those two streets, between SW Thistle Street and SW Trenton ST. Students use these corridors to transit anyway; let’s open them up to reduce cover and concealment.
* SPD conduct student safety assembly at the beginning of the 2015-16 school year.
Three West Seattle development notes this afternoon:
REVISED CVS STORE DESIGN: One week from tomorrow – at 6:30 pm Thursday, June 25th – the Southwest Design Review Board will again take an “early design guidance” look at the planned CVS drugstore at 4722 Fauntleroy Way SW, and the “design packet” with the revised proposal is now available online – see it here. Board members’ first look at potential size/shape options in March ended with a “try again” directive (WSB coverage here); this project’s big challenge is seen as the the owners from whom CVS is leasing the land will not allow a mixed-use project, though the site is zoned for it, so the project team is expected to design it in a way that will still fit with a densifying neighborhood drawing increased foot traffic, and the new “preferred plan” is described as one with a “pocket park” feel – take a look at the packet and see for yourself. Public comment is welcome at the June 25th meeting, which will be at the board’s usual meeting place, the Senior Center of West Seattle.
The CVS is planned right across the street from the biggest project under construction in West Seattle, for which we also have an update:
(Recent photo by Long Bach Nguyen; Whittaker site is in lower-center)
THE WHITTAKER’S SECOND CRANE: One crane has been up at the south end of The Whittaker‘s Edmunds/Fauntleroy/Alaska site for almost two months, and now the second is on the way. The second crane’s base is up and a project-team spokesperson tells WSB its installation is expected on Monday, June 29th.
SOUTH DELRIDGE PROJECT: Last week, we had first word of a South Delridge site, 9021 17th SW, where a 31-apartment building is proposed. Today, city files have turned up a new early-stage plan on the next block to the west – one house to be demolished on a 4,400-square-foot lot at 9043 18th SW, with eight townhouses to subsequently be built on that lot and the vacant site (already subdivided into four parcels) to the south of it.
Tomorrow, worldwide news will be made by a major statement expected from Pope Francis, about the environment and climate change (some of it’s already been leaked). Then tomorrow night, Seattle-area Catholics will follow it up with an event here in West Seattle. The announcement:
Pope Francis’ much anticipated encyclical on the environment will be celebrated at a 7 p.m. service Thursday, June 18, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 7100 35th Ave. SW.
All are invited to the 7 p.m. service to gather with local Catholic, ecumenical, and environmental leaders to honor Pope Francis’ call to protect the Earth. Speakers include:
· Fr. Jack Walmesley, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Parish
· Dr. Catherine Punsalan-Manlimos, director of the Institute of Catholic Thought and Culture at Seattle University
· Dan and Robyn Campbell, parishioners at Our Lady of Guadalupe
· Jessie Dye, program & outreach director of Earth Ministry/Washington Interfaith Power & Light
There will also be the opportunity for a tour of the parish grounds, which feature solar panels, a children’s solar kiosk, a rain garden, a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat peace garden, green buildings, and other energy-saving measures that have made the parish a leader in environmental sustainability.
Background: On the morning of June 18 in Rome, the Vatican will release the first comprehensive Catholic moral statement on caring for creation in the face of climate change. The pope’s encyclical, titled “Praised Be” (or Laudato Sii in Latin), is expected to make three key points: 1) Catholic teaching calls for protecting God’s creation; 2) humans cause climate change, which is a serious moral issue; and 3) the time to act is now – specific personal and public policy measures are needed to address global warming.
The encyclical will explicitly name climate change as one of the greatest threats to life on Earth, which poses particular challenges here in the Pacific Northwest where glaciers are melting, drought and forest fires are intensifying, and fossil fuel projects threaten Native American and other communities.
“’Praised Be,’ a call from Pope Francis to inspire us to care for creation, will resonate with Catholics throughout the region,” predicts Father Jack Walmesley, Our Lady of Guadalupe pastor.
All are invited to the event at OLG – more info here.
The reader reports in this West Seattle Crime Watch report include some good news. But first, a new theft:
STOLEN BIKE: That bicycle was stolen from a garage in the 4500 block of SW Henderson (map) on Tuesday morning between 6:30 and 7:30 am. A police report is filed; please call 911 if you see it.
FOUND TRUCK: Last Friday, we published this reader report about a stolen red pickup truck. That helped its owners get it back, and they e-mailed this update late last night:
We couldn’t be more excited to report that our Red Ford F-150 XLT pick up was recovered late (Tuesday) afternoon in West Seattle.
Further, we directly attribute the successful return of our vehicle to two things:
1. The West Seattle Blog – The SPD officers specifically called out the West Seattle Blog, how they had remembered seeing the photo of our truck and description on the blog. We feel so fortunate that the blog, its staff, and the community responded so quickly and got the word out. It is so awesome to have such an incredible resource, for all types of information, in West Seattle.
2. SPD – West Seattle – We couldn’t be more proud to have met a handful of these guys today. After talking with them for over an hour, we certainly feel we’re lucky to have these guys looking out for us. And they do, every day, even when when they’re off the clock. They have our deepest appreciation and heartfelt thanks.
Johnny and Kalynn
STOLEN PURSE RETURNED: We also published word last Friday of a purse theft, and have an update from the purse’s owner: “it was returned anonymously; the ID and important papers were all in it.”
THEFT/TRESPASSING: Another reader report details an incident that started with a man parking on the street by her residence in the 2100 block of SW Holden on Monday and emptying items of “his very packed car onto my parking strip. It’s clear he is living in the vehicle. When I got home from work around 6 pm my housemate informed me that he saw some of my possessions in his car. The man had gone onto my property and stolen metal yard art from my flower garden. I called 911 while my housemate and neighbor confronted the man. He admitted to trespassing and stealing and explained it was an accident and after some time returned one item. I suspect he had more items, but I felt too intimidated to confront him further and didn’t want to spend time outside inventorying because he proceeded to shout and scream he would shoot anyone who messed with his family. He then took the paper items strewn about and shoved them into the grill and wheel wells of a Car2Go vehicle across the street. He settled down around 9:30 pm.” She says police finally came to check it out Tuesday morning; as of Tuesday afternoon, the man and his car were still there, and she wanted to alert people in the area to call 911 if they see an intruder on their property.
(Photographed at Alki last weekend by Joe Szilagyi)
That dog looks like a potential “Bark of Morgan“ candidate … but the festival’s not until Saturday. Right now, we’re looking ahead to the rest of today/tonight – five highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
LEAVE YOUR HOME (OR COFFEE SHOP) OFFICE … at noon today, to go meet others working nontraditionally in West Seattle, during the free weekly meetup at West Seattle Office Junction (WSB sponsor), this area’s only coworking center. (6040 California SW)
LOOKING AHEAD TO COLLEGE: Don’t wait to learn the hard way that it’s never too soon to start planning. Check out this free workshop for youth looking ahead, at High Point Community Center, 4-5 pm – details here. (6940 34th SW)
KIDS’ NIGHT @ WORDSWEST LITERARY SERIES: 6 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), this month’s event is “Kids’ Night at WordsWest - Build a Summer Reading List! with Sundee Frazier and Charles & Elisheba Johnson” – details here. And Leslie Sumida from the West Seattle Library is the featured “favorite poem” reader. (5612 California SW)
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES? Tonight’s 7 pm forum presented by the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council includes a chance for you to give instant feedback (it’ll be explained as the forum begins). The format:
Round 1 – Each candidate draws a Delridge Priority from a special hat and allotted five minutes to address the priority.
Round 2 – Each candidate will present on the Delridge Priority of their choice. Two minutes allotted.
Round 3 – (time permitting) – Freestyle! Candidates will share (what) they would like. One or more minutes allotted, depending on time available.
Come early for dinner – the Spice on Curve Indian-food truck will be on site starting at 6 pm. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
FUNNY @ THE FEEDBACK: 8 pm comedy at Feedback Lounge in Morgan Junction – see the lineup here. (6451 California SW)
The first-ever West Seattle Wildlife Calendar featuring photos by Mark Wangerin, who kindly has shared so many here on WSB, was a hit – sold out, raising money for students at Chief Sealth International High School, where Mark taught for so long.
Now the small independent local publisher that printed his calendar, Mark House Publishing (which donated ALL proceeds from it), is getting ready for a 2016 West Seattle Wildlife Calendar. Mark and Mark House are hoping for a little help, so the calendar sales can yield even more for the students: They’re crowdfunding to raise money to help cover the print run of 500. Laura Robb of Mark House explains:
Just like last year, the calendar sales will benefit Chief Sealth International High School environmental programs. Last year the sales netted Chief Sealth $1200 and helped them host the WAGIN leadership conference for 200+ students at Sealth in March.
With double the run of calendars this year, our goal is $2500. However, if we can crowdfund the printing costs, the donation could rise to $5000. We need people to contribute just $10 to the campaign. $10 will print 2 calendars and net the students over $20. For contributors of $50 or more, we are offering an autographed print of Mark’s bald eagle photo from the cover of the 2016 calendar, as seen above. Here’s how to contribute.
The calendar will go on sale in September; if you’re interested in pre-ordering it, e-mail markhousepublish@gmail.com.
(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Quiet commute so far. Two alerts to mention:
ALKI SW RAMP WORK: SDOT announced yesterday that you’ll see work crews installing two curb ramps at crossings on Alki Ave. SW over the span of about a week and a half, starting today.
47TH/ADMIRAL/WAITE SIGNAL & CROSSWALKS: If you’re traveling through this area, you might have to pause as the final phase of work intensifies, as noted here on Tuesday.
9:09 AM: Traffic still sludgingly slow, per commenters … no incidents on the 911 log or scanner.
Another day closer to the Morgan Junction Community Festival (presented by the Morgan Community Association, with co-sponsors including WSB), this Saturday in and around Morgan Junction Park, 10:30 am-6 pm. In this preview – the food you’ll find! From festival organizers:
Food Trucks
This year the returning Hungry Me and the newly launched Nibbles, as well as Sweet Bumpas Ice Cream, will be in the Washington Federal parking lot at the northeast corner of Fauntleroy and California from 11:00 to 6:00. Hungry Me offers Asian fusion dishes, such as their signature “Kao Man Gai” (poached chicken and rice) and vegetarian, gluten-free “Peanut Sauce Curry.” Nibbles specializes in Southwest fusion dishes. Their “Smoky Meatloaf Sandwich” and “Grandma GG’s Shortcake” menu items sound tempting. This month, Nibble has been in the West Seattle Eagles parking lot and at the Des Moines Farmers Market opening day. Sweet Bumpas Ice Cream, meantime, promises “boldly flavored ice cream and treats from our cart.”
West Seattle Thriftway special promotion for the Festival
Thriftway will be holding a fundraiser BBQ again for the festival! This is much appreciated and is essential to our fundraising. This year, they will be grilling burgers and the suggested donation of $7 will also get you a bag of chips and a drink. Best deal around!
Plus: Beveridge Place Pub will again have a hot dog cart in their parking lot.
Bite of Morgan
Last but not least is the Bite of Morgan sampling, which starts at participating venues at 11:30 and goes until supplies run out. Six of our fabulous food businesses will provide free small samples in exchange for tickets issued at the MoCA booth in the park. Participants this year are:
Caffé Ladro – Mini-scone and a cold beverage (don’t miss this, it’s worth the couple blocks’ walk south of park)
Peel and Press – Pizza rollup
Zeeks Pizza – Pizza slice
The Bridge – Chocolate-covered strawberry
Domino’s Pizza – Breadstick
Pet Elements – Dog treat
Previous previews:
*Kids’ activities
*Pet parade & contests
*Meet local authors
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
School’s out – and some are looking ahead to the next stage of their education, like the seven students to whom the Rotary Club of West Seattle awarded scholarships today – Student of the Month and Gambriell scholarships totaling $15,500. We stopped by the Rotary lunch meeting to photograph the students who were there to accept them – from left, Julia Nark (Career Link), Tin Vo (West Seattle High School), Caprice Villeza (West Seattle HS), Naeem Ghodsian (Career Link), and Joey Werlech (now a Central Washington University student); recipients not pictured are Brisa Mendez-Alvarez (Chief Sealth International High School) and Carolina Sayuri Sasai (Seattle Lutheran). The club explains, “The Students of the Month program honors outstanding students in West Seattle (area) high-school programs selected by their school counselors. Each year all Students of the Month are encouraged to apply for the available scholarships. Also every year, the club awards two or three Gambriell Scholarships based on financial need and academic merit to graduating West Seattle-area seniors who apply and might not otherwise be able to attend college.”
A Rotarian with extra reason to smile about all this is Len Burton-Hardin:
Starting next month, he’ll be in charge of the club’s vocational/educational outreach.
P.S. The next big West Seattle Rotary-sponsored event, the WS Grand Parade, is now just one month away – Saturday, July 18th!
It’s been three years since we first heard from AMNO & CO, the trio of West Seattleites who have literally taken on the world in a robotics specialty, the ROV – and they’re doing it again this year. The theme is one with particular local resonance this year – read on for their report on what they’re doing (they provided the photos, too):
In May, AMNO & CO ROV team won first place in the Pacific Northwest Regional MATE ROV competition, qualifying for the international event in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. (Check out the Marine Advanced Technology Education Center’s Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) competition at marinetech.org.) For the three team members – Alex Miller, Clara Orndorff, and Nicholas Orndorff – this will be their fourth consecutive year at the international competition, and as always, the team with the fewest team members.
ROVs are extremely valuable at accomplishing tasks in environments which would be too deep or risky for human divers. This year’s tasks revolve around deploying, salvaging, and servicing equipment related to the oil industry in the Arctic. Teams have to design and build a vehicle to replace components in oil wellheads, turn valves in oil pipelines, and measure icebergs. In doing these tasks, AMNO & CO will be competing against the winning teams of regional competitions in the USA, Canada, Egypt, China, Hong Kong, Scotland, Russia and several others. While MATE’s tasks revolve around oil in the Arctic, communication is also emphasized in the competition, so teams have to write a technical report, create a poster, and give an engineering presentation.
In Newfoundland, AMNO & CO will compete in a state-of-the-art marine facility, which has three unique research test tanks, including a tank with waves, another with currents, and a third covered in ice. These tanks accurately simulate the conditions in real Arctic environments, while providing teams the opportunity to test their vehicles in unusual conditions.
In addition to competing and fundraising for the MATE competition, AMNO & CO seeks to instill their passion for engineering in others. For instance, they gave a special presentation in the Seattle Aquarium’s Window on Washington Waters tank for the public in November. Also, team member Alex Miller will be leading a robotics summer camp in West Seattle this June, fostering an appreciation for the unique fusion of mechanical systems, electrical systems, and software which robotics encompasses.
The international competition will be in St. John’s, Newfoundland, June 25-28. For more information about AMNO & CO, please visit facebook.com/AMNOandCoROV or contact them at amnoandco@live.com.
If you were thinking of going to the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting – don’t; it’s not happening. We arrived at the precinct and found out that the meeting was being canceled; WSCPC president Richard Miller continues to deal with health challenges. We’ll take the liberty of saying again, as we were asked to mention in our coverage of last month’s meeting – if anyone is interested in helping so that this group can continue, please e-mail westseattlecpc@gmail.com.
Thanks again to the youth-sports parents and coaches who’ve shared championship news these past few weeks (and in past years). Two more rounds of congratulations to share, both for West Seattle Little League teams:
Congratulations to the Pilots, who became the 2015 WSLL Rookie Division Champions on Saturday in a 9-2 game against Sonic Boom, concluding a four-game series between the two. The photo is by Debbie Ross. In the pic:
Back Row: Coach Cip Dacanay, Coach Justin Buehring, Head Coach Eric Beardemphl
Middle Row: Erik Wingle, Otis Schlede, Connor Tynan, Nicholas Beardemphl, Cody Buehring, David Haugen
Front Row: Caden Ross, Owen Odegard, Daniel Dacanay, Luke Brown, Atticus Blum, Carson Cottle
Next, congratulations to the WSLL 50/70 (Intermediate) team, which Tracy Holloway tells us won the District 7 Tournament of Champions after going 19-0 on the season:
The final score in Des Moines was WSLL 21, South Highline National Little League 8.
In the photo, L-R, are Mike Murphy (coach), Adam Chin, Dominic Taylor, Jack Summers, Rick Southall (Manager), Cole Stephenson, Konrad Gerhardt, Wil Holmes, Justin Murphy, Ben Trigg, Mike Messinger (Coach), Eli Markham, Dylan Pool.
Find out more about West Seattle Little League at westseattlelittleleague.com.
From SDOT:
The Seattle Department of Transportation will install new “ADA” compliant curb ramps at two locations on Alki Avenue Southwest. They plan to start tomorrow and complete the work by June 26. The curb ramps are at two crosswalks on Alki where there are viewing areas with benches along the waterfront. The first location is at 1716 Alki Avenue SW [map] and the second is at 1564 Alki Avenue SW [map]. The crews will work in the parking lane, and on-street parking will be restricted at those locations.
(Photo courtesy Raquel – substituted for earlier traffic-camera image)
4:17 PM: Big emergency response on the eastbound West Seattle Bridge by 4th Avenue South – closing all but the exit lane at that spot. More to come.
4:22 PM: Police are going to try to divert people off at 1st Avenue South but we’ve just heard from Erica, who passed the crash going the other way, and says it looks like multiple vehicles involved as well as one car that’s on its side, and there’s already an eastbound backup. (Here’s an earlier view, tweeted by SDOT:)
4:26 PM: Emergency vehicles are also in one westbound lane parallel with 4th, so if you’re planning on getting to the westbound bridge from I-5 or Beacon Hill, this could be a problem.
(Photo courtesy Brian Baum)
4:44 PM: That westbound lane is clear, but the eastbound lanes remain blocked at 4th, with everybody forced to get off the bridge at 1st Avenue South.
4:51 PM: Per scanner, police are hoping to have one lane – likely the outside lane – open shortly. But even with most of the commute going the other way, that still will mean big backups.
4:57 PM: And here it is, one lane open:
UPDATE: One EB lane has been reopened on W Seattle Bridge at 4th Ave S. pic.twitter.com/C4qiTJyD65
— seattledot (@seattledot) June 16, 2015
Don’t take the low bridge as a backup any time soon – also via scanner, it’s going to swing open soon for “a large boat” to get through.
5:27 PM: The bridge is fully open again, after about an hour and 10 minutes.
WEDNESDAY MORNING UPDATE: SPD confirms something we thought we had heard on the scanner – the 32-year-old driver had at least one warrant out for his arrest. They also confirm an “active DUI investigation” in the case. We are also asking SFD for any final information about injuries and will add whatever we learn there.
(Screengrab from Seattle Channel webcast; we’ll replace it with meeting video when theirs is up)
Under major scrutiny from concerned parties including neighborhood land-use activists and developers, the City Council’s Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee has just voted to pass an amended version of the bill proposing changes to low-rise zoning – more like, changes to past changes. (We previewed all this before the committee’s public hearing two weeks ago.)
City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen proposed eight amendments that city staffers said restored some of what was changed from the original version of the bill. Five were turned down, three were approved – involving counting exterior corridors/stairways as part of a building’s “floor-area ratio” (Amendment 1 text here), thresholds for rounding up number of units per land-area square footage (Amendment 6 text here), and side setbacks required for rowhouses (Amendment 8 text here).
The full council is expected to vote on the amended proposal after the 4th of July weekend; seven of the nine members participated in today’s committee meeting.
It’s one of our favorite summer-event posters every year – and today, it’s out:
Click the image for a larger view of this year’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies poster by Horsepower Design, listing not only the six movies that will be screened on Saturday nights in the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard – starting July 18th – but also the pre-show entertainment, sponsors, and nonprofits benefiting from each event’s fun(draising) raffle drawing(s). Here again, if you missed it two weeks ago, is this year’s movie list:
Sat, July 18th: “Zoolander,” 2001 (trailer above; PG-13)
Sat, July 25th: “Singles,” 1992 (PG-13)
Sat, Aug 1st: “Raising Arizona,” 1987 (PG-13)
Sat, Aug 8th: “Big Hero 6,” 2014 (PG)
Sat, Aug 15th: “Guardians of the Galaxy,” 2014 (PG-13)
Sat, Aug 22nd: “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” 1975 (R)
Admission is free; concessions will be sold this year by, and as a benefit for, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. Hotwire’s at 4410 California SW, just north of the Junction post office. (We’re proud to be a co-sponsor again this year – see the full sponsor lineup across the bottom of the poster.)
As mentioned in our daily traffic/transit watch, a crane is on site at Seacrest today to help install the new small-boat-launch ramp mentioned in this alert from Seattle Parks last week.
Parks says the old launch had been in use for more than 20 years. P.S. Some of Seacrest’s history is in this section of the Parks Department’s “Sherwood Files,” explained here.
The :15 video panorama shows you what’s happening at the 47th/Admiral/Waite crosswalk project today, as the final phase of work intensifies. A bit dusty (and this part of the work had eastbound traffic stopped while we were there):
SDOT had announced about a week ago that the signal equipment had arrived, so the final phase of installing it and marking crosswalks around the intersection would launch. Thanks to everybody who messaged us about the stepped-up work today!
(Monday sunrise – photo by Lynn Hall)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
BEE GARDEN STORY TIME: Just about to start – first Tuesday morning story time at the West Seattle Bee Garden in High Point! 10 am. (31st/Graham)
CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE TALKS LOW-RISE ZONING: Followup to the public hearing two weeks ago (previewed here) – 2 pm at City Hall, the council’s Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee talks again about the proposed changes to low-rise zoning (the areas where you primarily see 3- or 4-story apartment buildings, rowhouses, townhouses). West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen has proposed 8 of the 9 pending amendments; if you can’t get downtown, you can watch via Seattle Channel.
CHAMBER MUSIC RECITAL: All are invited as members of the West Seattle Community Orchestras perform chamber music @ The Mount, 7 pm, no admission charge. More info in our calendar listing. (4831 35th SW)
WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: Final meeting before summer break. If you have a concern to bring to local police and your fellow West Seattle neighbors – or if you just want to hear SPD’s latest info on local crime trends – this is the place to be. 7 pm in the meeting room at the Southwest Precinct. (Webster/Delridge)
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY/TONIGHT/BEYOND? See for yourself here.
9:33 AM: Just got a text about helicopters – heard them nearby passing the West Seattle shore – but this time, we already know what it’s about: If you missed the alert we published last week, it’s a big air/sea drill happening all day down in Des Moines, with some air traffic visible as far north as here.
2:08 PM: Some photos tweeted by the King County Sheriff’s Office, one of the participating agencies:
Joint training with @uscoastguard , US Customs and Boarder Protection, Bainbridge Island PD, KC Medic 1 & @SeattlePD pic.twitter.com/0SiqxTB9uk
— KingcosoPIO (@kingcosoPIO) June 16, 2015
(2014 photo by Ben Ackers)
On the night before summer – have a swingin’ time in Fauntleroy! If you don’t already have your tickets, here’s a preview from Judy Pickens:
The Hall at Fauntleroy will rock Friday evening (June 19), when the West Seattle Big Band hosts the second annual Swing Into Summer dance. Other sponsors are the West Seattle and Fauntleroy YMCAs, Fauntleroy Church, and the Fauntleroy Community Association. Tickets are $15/person through brownpapertickets.com or in the church office. Proceeds will benefit area public-school music programs.
Start with dance lessons at 6:30 pm, then hit the floor at 7:00, or just sit back and enjoy the action, plus food and drink concessions. Arrange for free child care at 206-932-5600 or jackie@fauntleroyucc.org.
(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Happy last day of school to Seattle Public Schools students! No problems reported in the outbound commute so far. Two notes:
BEACH DRIVE/LINCOLN PARK WAY/48TH: The major work previewed in last Friday’s alert had not begun as of end-of-day Monday, and we saw no signs of staging, but will check again today.
(Added 8:55 am – that’s a Monday aerial of the project – and, at lower right, the inland side of Lowman Beach Park – just received from West Seattle pilot/photographer Long Bach Nguyen.)
SEACREST BOAT LAUNCH REPLACEMENT: Part of the parking lot at Seacrest will be closed again today during work to replace the small boat launch, announced last week. We noted a crane had arrived by end of day Monday.
Thanks to “Diver Laura” James for the video, showing the cleanup we previewed here on Sunday – the blocks and cable left behind (deliberately, by agreement of all those concerned) when the “Solar Pioneer” protest barge moved west after first dropping them in the popular Cove 2 dive zone. The official post-cleanup news release from GUE Seattle declares it “a complete success”:
Two teams of GUE Seattle SCUBA divers entered the water (Monday) at 7:00 AM and located the debris field consisting of concrete blocks and steel cables.
(Photos courtesy GUE Seattle)
The five GUE Seattle divers attached mooring line and buoys so a commercial salvage operation could easily locate and remove the debris. At approximately 9:00 AM, a commercial dive team from Global Diving & Salvage arrived on site and deployed surface-supplied divers into the water.After approximately three hours of work, the Global Diving & Salvage dive team had safely successfully removed all debris without causing any further damage to the dive park.
On Monday, May 19th, 2015, an environmental activist group moored a barge known as the Solar Pioneer in Alki Seacrest Park in protest of Shell’s Polar Pioneer Arctic drilling rig housed at Seattle’s Harbor Island Terminal 5. In the process of mooring, the activist group dropped concrete blocks and thick steel mooring cables and inadvertently damaged a popular underwater park known as Alki Cove 2. As the barge rose and fell with the tides, the steel mooring cables swept the area underneath, causing additional collateral damage to the marine environment as well as endangering recreational divers. Today, the Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) Seattle cleanup project was successfully completed and all concrete blocks and the steel mooring cables were recovered and properly disposed of.
We would like to sincerely thank Royal Dutch Shell, Foss Maritime, and John Sellers (the operator of the Solar Pioneer), for financially contributing to the cleanup effort and future restoration work; Laura James for her assistance in video documentation; and Global Diving & Salvage for their skillful work in removing the debris without causing any additional environmental damage.
The Polar Pioneer, as reported here early Monday morning, has left Seattle, headed north; the Solar Pioneer was still off Don Armeni as of sunset.
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