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Spotlight Stories

Season-opening day for High Point Market Garden Farm Stand
June 24, 2015 5:43 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Gardening | High Point | West Seattle news

Summer weather arrived early, and it’s led to an early opening for the High Point Market Garden Farm Stand, selling freshly harvested vegetables grown steps away, at 32nd and Juneau. Today is the first of the farm stand’s weekly selling sessions between 4 and 7 pm on Wednesdays – while there, we noted peas on sale for $3/pound and a variety of other veggies, including greens, leaf lettuce, and root vegetables, on sale for $2/bunch. We also were there for a blessing by The Venerable Soveth Mountain from Wat Dhammacakkaram Khmer Buddhist Temple, dedicating the stand’s season:

The words of gratitude, as printed on a commemorative card:

Thank you, earth, for this food,
Thank you to the gardeners who till this soil,
Thank you to the sellers who bring the food to market,
Thank you for this abundance,
Which we accept in grace and deep gratitude.

The stand is extra-abundant this year because of a new partnership with the urban farmers of ROAR (Roots Of All Roads), who are selling at a table by the stand – what’s there today is from Hillman City, we were told:

They’re also offering samples of a squash salad prepared with some of the items on sale today. Again, if you don’t make it there by 7 pm, stop by next Wednesday, 4-7 pm, and see what’s fresh. The Market Garden, by the way, is tended by community farmers, in partnership with the city Department of Neighborhoods P-Patch Community Garden program.

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Emergency ban on fireworks? Unincorporated King County community advocates ask for it in online-petition drive
June 24, 2015 2:56 pm
|      73 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

2:56 PM: As we were discussing here just yesterday, while fireworks are illegal within the Seattle city limits, they’re legal on the other side of the line, in unincorporated King County, and that’s unquestionably where some if not most of the fireworks illegally used here are bought. So you might be interested to know that community leaders from the unincorporated areas of North Highline and West Hill have just launched a petition drive asking county leaders for an emergency fireworks ban – the petition is on this Change.org page. The petition is addressed to the County Executive and County Fire Marshal. We’ll be checking with their offices, as well as with County Councilmember Joe McDermott, to see if this is something they are considering. Right now, fireworks sales in the unincorporated area are scheduled to start at noon on Sunday.

3:43 PM: We’ve just spoken with Jim Chan in the King County Permits and Environmental Review department, which oversees the Fire Marshal’s Office. He says the same thing that commenter Karen was told by the County Executive’s Office – that the county has no authority for an emergency ban; any ban couldn’t take effect for a year. Chan says a few Washington counties’ laws enable such a ban – Douglas and San Juan Counties, he mentioned – but for King County, that sort of authority has just never come up. We asked if the state would have authority, then, to take an action that could enable an immediate emergency local ban, and he said yes. So we’ll be checking next with the state Fire Marshal’s Office. Meantime, we were forwarded a news release that the county Fire Marshal’s Office had been planning to issue, saying only this:

King County fire agencies are urging citizens to attend one of the many professional public fireworks displays during the Fourth of July weekend. Prolonged dry weather and below average spring rainfall have cured grass and vegetation growth, creating high fire danger nearly six weeks earlier than normal. Last year in King County fire agencies responded to nearly 200 fire calls with 82 of them related to fireworks, as reported in the 2014 Washington State Fire Marshal report.

While it is not advisable to light fireworks, follow the three B’s – Be Prepared, Be Safe, and Be Responsible. Retail fireworks go on sale June 28 through July 4 and in those communities that allow fireworks, discharge is limited to July 4 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. only.

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New warnings from SPD: Pay those tickets, or face The Boot
June 24, 2015 1:02 pm
|    Comments Off on New warnings from SPD: Pay those tickets, or face The Boot
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police

If you’ve been letting parking tickets pile up … this could happen to you:

(SPD graphic)

Just announced via SPD Blotter:

Seattle Parking Enforcement Officers began issuing Courtesy Notices to vehicles with 3 unpaid parking tickets today. Notices encourage motorists to address unpaid tickets and alert them that after 4 unpaid tickets, the vehicle is subject to being booted with a wheel-locking device; whether they are parked legally or illegally.

Courtesy Notices help motorists avoid the added time and expense of the boot and ensure motorists are informed even if the City does not have a current mailing address for the vehicle owner.

For vehicles with 4 or more unpaid tickets where the City does not have the vehicle owner’s address, a 30-Day Notice will be placed on the vehicle.

Read the rest of the announcement – which includes links you can use to check if you have a ticket-backlog problem – by going here.

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THIS WEEKEND: Learn about amateur radio during ‘Field Day’ on South Seattle College campus
June 24, 2015 11:50 am
|    Comments Off on THIS WEEKEND: Learn about amateur radio during ‘Field Day’ on South Seattle College campus
 |   Puget Ridge | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from June 2014 Field Day)
By proclamation of the governor, it’s Amateur Radio Week in our state – and it will wrap up this weekend with a big event that you’re invited to visit, Field Day on the south end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus. The West Seattle Amateur Radio Club is one of the groups that’ll be participating. Here’s the official announcement:

Members of the Puget Sound Repeater Group (PSRG) and the Seattle Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) will be participating in the national Amateur Radio Field Day exercise, June 27 – 28, 2015 South Seattle College (behind Olympic Hall) in West Seattle. Since 1933, ham radio operators across North America have established temporary ham radio stations in public locations during Field Day to showcase the science and skill of Amateur Radio. This event is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.

For over 100 years, Amateur Radio — sometimes called ham radio — has allowed people from all walks of life to experiment with electronics and communications techniques, as well as provide a free public service to their communities during a disaster, all without needing a cell phone or the Internet.

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West Seattle Wednesday: Produce, poems, prayers, & Motopony…
June 24, 2015 9:22 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Wednesday: Produce, poems, prayers, & Motopony…
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Panorama by Chris Frankovich)

Highlights for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Lots of story times at local libraries to help with summer fun – today at 10:30 am, preschoolers (and their designated grownups) are welcome at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library. (2306 42nd SW)

NOONTIME MEETUP AT OFFICE JUNCTION: Did you meet the Office Junction‘s designated signkeeper at the Morgan Junction Community Festival last weekend?

Don’t know if he’ll be there, but today, YOU and your fellow home-office workers, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, coworking-curious West Seattleites are all invited to the OJ (a WSB sponsor) at noontime for the free weekly meetup/networking opportunity. (6040 California SW)

MEDICAL-MARIJUANA RULES @ COUNCIL COMMITTEE: 2 pm, the City Council’s Finance and Culture Committee takes up the city’s new proposed rules regarding medical marijuana and how they will be enforced; some current operations face closure. Live on Seattle Channel if you’re not going to City Hall. (4th/5th/Cherry/James)

FRESH AT THE FARM STAND: As previewed here earlier this week, the High Point Market Garden Farm Stand‘s opening earlier this year, and you can buy fresh-grown organic produce there every Wednesday, 4-7 pm, starting today, through September. (32nd/Juneau)

WEST SEATTLE PRAYERS FOR CHARLESTON: 6:30 pm at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, you’re invited to join in prayers for the Charleston, S.C., massacre victims, one week later, as previewed here. (3050 California SW)

GO THROW! West Seattle Ultimate Family Frisbee‘s 6:30 pm weekly pickup game is tonight at Fairmount Playfield. (Fauntleroy/Brandon)

MOTOPONY, LIVE AT EASY STREET: 7 pm at Easy Street Records, free all-ages album-release show by Motopony – more info in our calendar listing. (California/Alaska)

POEMS & STORIES AT C & P: It’s the monthly Poetrybridge event at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm, featuring Mike Hickey this month, and community-microphone readers; details here. (5612 California SW)

LOOK UP! First-quarter moon tonight, and the latest Skies Over West Seattle says moonrise/ moonset provide optimal viewing – check the times here.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday updates; SPD enforcement patrols
June 24, 2015 7:36 am
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:36 AM: After a short delay for what turned out to be a small fire in South Delridge (we’re still updating here), the overall traffic watch is on.

8:01 AM – TRANSPORTATION NEWS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED: From Tuesday coverage here and elsewhere, in case you missed it:

*11th/Holden pedestrian-safety beacon going in
*47th/Admiral/Waite signal & crosswalks update, plus a reader concern
*Council committee keeps property-tax plan for transportation levy

8:23 AM: Via Twitter, we’re getting reports of at least two SPD traffic-enforcement areas this morning – on the bridge (thanks to Joe for the tip; he saw at least five drivers/riders “lined up” for citations) and at 35th/Morgan (thanks to Randall for that tip).

8:35 AM: And thanks to Lola for mentioning an orange-cone hazard (usually they mark hazards; this time they WERE the hazard) on the bridge; an SDOT tweet suggests they’ve been handled.

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UPDATE: Fire outside 17th SW apartments, out quickly
June 24, 2015 7:13 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

7:13 AM: Big fire response right now to the (corrected address) 9200 block of 17th SW (map) in South Delridge. First crews on scene say it’s a brush fire in front of an apartment building.

7:16 AM: The fire is quickly pronounced “tapped,” and they’re canceling some of the units.

7:30 AM: According to our crew on the scene, SFD is saying that so far, this appears to have been started by cigarette(s) tossed into bushes, and that it scorched a deck of the 2-story building before being put out.

ADDED: Damage is estimated at $5,000.

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West Seattle 4th of July 2015: Parade prep time! Can you help?
June 23, 2015 11:51 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Fun stuff to do | Holidays | How to help | West Seattle news

The photos are from West Seattle 4th of July Kids’ Parade organizer Jackie Clough of Alki Party Treasures (WSB sponsor) – as of tonight, Walking on Logs alongside the Fauntleroy end of the West Seattle Bridge is decked out as a red, white, and blue reminder that the holiday is just a week and a half away.

As always, the parade starts at 10 am on the 4th (which is on a Saturday this year) at 44th and Sunset in North Admiral (map) – all welcome to participate – walking, biking, riding in a stroller or wagon. The route goes through the neighborhood and then over to Hamilton Viewpoint Park for post-parade games (sack races, etc.). Three ways to help:

1. Bring diapers for WestSide Baby
2. Volunteer to help with the post-parade games
3. Loan Jackie a bullhorn/microphone so they can bag the equipment that in the past has cut out on the national-anthem singer and announcements

E-mail her at jackie@alkipartytreasures.com if you can help with #2 and/or #3 – for #1, just bring them on the 4th!

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47th/Admiral/Waite project: SDOT update; safety reminder
June 23, 2015 10:10 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

(Photo taken this evening, looking westward at 47th/Admiral/Waite)
Two messages tonight about the 47th/Admiral/Waite signal and crosswalks project. First one is a progress report from SDOT:

Work resumed last week at the intersection of 47th Avenue SW and SW Admiral Way. Crews installed the signal poles and striped the intersection, including new crosswalks. They also began installation of wiring in preparation for the new signal heads that we expect will be delivered later this week. We anticipate approximately three more weeks of construction while the signals are installed and configured.

The striping of the crosswalks before the signal’s installation, however, led WSB reader Jennie to e-mail this safety concern and ask if we’d share it:

I was wondering if you might be able to highlight a safety concern and an extra need for people to slow down and use caution when driving through the new Admiral stoplight intersection that is being created near Alki Mail and Dispatch.

There are not lights yet to control this intersections, yet they have decided to lay down all of the crosswalks. I am *very* concerned that someone is going to use one of these new crosswalks (potentially even young kids now that they are out of school) and get hit. The one crosswalk that was always there was placed in about the best position for line of sight for cars and it obviously didn’t do its job well with crossing deaths and accidents.

Crosswalks don’t require lights – don’t even require striping (as explained here) – but nonetheless, since the painted crosswalks are new features and the light is still a few weeks away, it’s a good idea to take extra care in that area as people using all modes get used to the new features.

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What you WON’T see during this year’s Seafair Pirates Landing on Alki: The annual pole-vaulting competition next door
June 23, 2015 9:00 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(2012 photo by Gary Jones)
It’s been a fixture for years on Alki Beach, right next to the Seafair Pirates’ Landing (which is coming up this Saturday)- the Alki Swashbuckler Beach Vault pole-vaulting competition. 19 years, according to its website, which is where we found out that it’s NOT happening this year for the first time since 1996. The website mentioned only the Pirates’ Landing date change as a reason, but this is the second year since the landing moved up to late June, so we contacted the presenting group to find out more.

Becca Gillespy Peter of Pole Vault Power explained in response to our inquiry, “The early date is bad for us, we have multiple conflicts, primarily the USA National Championships in Eugene, Oregon, and our local Junior Olympic Association Championships.” She said that while one of those conflicts existed last year, they made the choice to give it a try anyway, but the weather was iffy – more of a risk in June than July – and the turnout seemed lower. With all that and some communication challenges with the Seafair Pirates organization, they decided to cancel: “We are bummed to have to cancel the event after 19 years, but hope to return next year … We do hope to return next year, it may conflict with the Olympic Trials, depending on what date they choose, but I should be able to find enough volunteers to run the event in my absence, if necessary …” And if you just want to get your annual fix of pole-vault spectating, Becca reminds us, “We also have a beach vault every year on July 4 at the city of Tacoma’s Freedom Fair Festival; this will be the 21st year in a row for pole vaulting at that event.”

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New Seattle Parks ‘guidelines’ for natural areas/greenbelts? Public hearing Thursday; petition drive under way now
June 23, 2015 5:31 pm
|      49 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(West Seattle section of Parks map showing ‘natural areas’ in purple, parks in green)
Remember the GoApe/Lincoln Park kerfuffle three years ago? In short – Seattle Parks spent one year talking with a commercial zipline operator about a potential facility in Lincoln Park without any public notification/discussion. A local advocate got wind of it, asked us about it, we reported on it, local community advocates organized against it, the proposal was withdrawn.

No specific proposal of that type has emerged since. But natural-space advocates say they’re afraid a new Seattle Parks policy proposal that has a public hearing this Thursday (June 25th) – sparked by the controversy over a mountain-bike course elsewhere in the city – would open the gates for it, and for much more. They are circulating an online petition and sounding the alarm.

You might already have seen discussion of this in the WSB Forums. The “briefing paper” about what’s formally known as “Natural Area and Greenbelt Supplemental Use Guidelines” explains in this preface:

The purpose of the Supplemental Use Guidelines is to provide a transparent tool to evaluate use proposals in Parks’ classified Natural Areas and Greenbelts. (See map, Appendix B of the Guidelines.) The impetus to develop use guidelines came from the difficult process Parks, the Board and the community have been through regarding locating a new use – a bicycle trail – in the Cheasty Greenspace, one of Parks classified Natural Areas. We need to ensure that as an agency, we are meeting the needs of all of our residents and that policies reflect the
changing needs of residents and long-term goals for the city and Parks.

Here’s the full document:

One of the loudest opposition voices is from the Seattle Nature Alliance statement, which has major roots in West Seattle. Its statement includes a link to its petition:

Seattle Parks Department proposes to change the use policy for Natural Areas and Greenbelts, allowing previously prohibited uses in protected areas. After heated community debates over a proposed commercial zipline in Lincoln Park (2012), and more recently, a mountain-bike skills course in the Cheasty Greenspace, Seattle Parks seems to be proposing this policy change to streamline future projects and is ignoring the growing concerns about Seattle’s booming development and its effect on natural areas.

Concerned by equitable access to nature and potential damage to wildlife habitat from overuse, the Seattle Nature Alliance launched a Change.org petition. – ‘Preserve Seattle Parks Natural Areas and Greenspaces’. The Seattle Nature Alliance is opposed to the expansion of ‘specialized’ recreation in our natural areas and greenspaces. Co-director Denise Dahn believes “these revisions give privileges to a select few at the expense of everyone else. This is unfair as well as environmentally unsustainable. Parks are for everyone.

Parks staff is recommending that the Parks Board approve the new guidelines. First comes this Thursday’s public hearing, during the board’s 6:30 pm meeting at Parks HQ downtown (100 Dexter Ave. N.) Their vote is expected four weeks later, on July 23rd.

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West Seattle 4th of July: Early reminders on fireworks, crime prevention
June 23, 2015 3:56 pm
|      28 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

(2012 photo: Illegal fireworks at Hamilton Viewpoint Park while spectators awaited view of legal Lake Union show)
With the 4th of July a week and a half away – plus an extra-long spell of warm, dry weather already well under way – the Southwest Precinct asked us to share a reminder that’s more important than ever:

The Seattle Police Department and Seattle Fire Department would like to remind the public that fireworks are illegal in the City of Seattle.

The possession, manufacture, storage, sale, handling and use of fireworks are prohibited. Fireworks offenses are gross misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $5,000 fine.

Fireworks pose a fire hazard to property and present a safety risk to those who use them. Every year the Seattle Fire Department responds to fireworks-related fires and injuries. The holiday-related fires and injuries are preventable.

On the 4th of July, 911 centers become overloaded with non-emergency fireworks calls. DO NOT call 911 unless you have a life-threatening emergency and need immediate help from police, fire or medics. Unnecessary 911 calls block people with real emergencies from reaching 911 and getting help.

Any fireworks-related fires or injuries should be reported directly to 911. Other fireworks violations may be reported by calling the Seattle Police non-emergency number at 206-625-5011.

Via Community Police Team Officer Jon Flores, we also have SPD info-sheets to share on preventing/deterring crimes that are even more common in the warm season:

*Car prowls
*Making sure your windows are secure
*Making sure your doors are secure
*Burglary deterrence, outside your home
*Suspicious behavior and when to report it

P.S. More crime-prevention info is just a few hours away at tonight’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network meeting.

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West Seattle restaurants: Mioposto sets Admiral opening date
June 23, 2015 2:03 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

The restaurant that’s moving into the north section of what was Admiralty House Antiques has set its opening date.

Via Twitter, Mioposto told us today that it’s planning to open the 2141 California SW restaurant on August 6th. News of Mioposto’s West Seattle expansion came back in January; our most-recent update was in March, when proprietor Jeremy Hardy told us they’ll open for lunch in Admiral as well as dinner. This will be Mioposto’s third restaurant, after Mt. Baker and Bryant. (Here’s the current menu.)

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Goodbye, Department of Planning and Development; hello, Office of Planning and Community Development
June 23, 2015 12:48 pm
|      20 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Mayor Murray is breaking up the Department of Planning and Development, and longtime director Diane Sugimura is retiring. Those are the bottom lines from an announcement this morning at City Hall. The mayor is creating a new city department, the Office of Planning and Community Development, that is supposed to have the big picture in terms of planning – not just construction/development but also transportation, among other things – and dismantling DPD, whose other functions such as permitting will be handled by a department to be named later. Read the full announcement ahead:

Read More

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2 more West Seattle projects have Design Review dates: 4801 Fauntleroy Way SW, 5414 Delridge Way SW
June 23, 2015 11:20 am
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

Days or even weeks before the formal notices of Southwest Design Review Board meetings are sent out, the dates appear on the city Department of Planning and Development website, which is where we find two more early alerts, for a doubleheader meeting at the Senior Center of West Seattle on July 23rd. Both projects will be reviewed for Early Design Guidance (EDG), first of the Design Review process‘s two phases:

4801 FAUNTLEROY WAY SW: This former parking lot currently being used for The Whittaker‘s construction-project trailers (map) has its own future project proposal, as we first reported in April, and it’s now set for the 6:30 pm spot on the July 23rd SWDRB agenda. Above is David Foster Architects‘ early version of the “packet” for the meeting, as found in the city’s online files; keep in mind that since the meeting’s a month away, it might change. In the packet, the project is described as a “four-story mixed-use building with 30-40 apartments, 2-8 retail or live-work spaces. Between 0 and 7 parking spaces.” (Projects can be somewhat fluid in the EDG phase, depending on which of the potential size/shape options are viewed favorably by the board – if you browse the packet above, you’ll see the three variations proposed so far.)

5414 DELRIDGE WAY SW: No packet yet for this project that we first wrote about in February; a house (map) north of Cottage Grove Commons is proposed for demolition and replacement with a four-story building including seven residential units, 1,100 square feet of commercial/office space, and seven surface parking spaces. It’s the 8 pm project on the board’s July 23rd agenda.

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West Seattle safety: Next set of ‘rectangular rapid-flash beacons’ going in @ Highland Park intersection
June 23, 2015 9:57 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | Safety | West Seattle news

Thanks to Beef for the photo from 11th SW and SW Holden in Highland Park, where SDOT’s installing another set of “rectangular rapid-flash beacons” in hopes of making it safer for people to cross. West Seattle’s first set has been up for about a month at California/Dakota north of The Junction, as reported here; a third set is in the works for the new crosswalk in front of the Boren Building at 5950 Delridge Way SW, home to K5 STEM and interim home to Arbor Heights Elementary (for one more year).

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West Seattle Tuesday: Block Watch Captains’ Network; story times; music; dancing; more…
June 23, 2015 8:59 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Take two minutes for a calming close-up look at West Seattle sea life, courtesy of “Diver Laura” James, who shared that with us last night, to share with you. And now … a look ahead to what’s happening above water today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

BABY STORY TIME: 10:30 am at Southwest Library, bring your newborn-through-1-year-old to enjoy fun stories, songs, rhymes. (35th/Henderson)

ZYDECO DANCING AT SALTY’S: 6-9 pm event at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), including dance lesson, dancing, cocktail, appetizer – but call quick to make sure room’s still available! (1936 Harbor SW)

TUESDAY TUNEUP: Also at Salty’s tonight, starting at 6:30 pm, no-cover live piano, accordion, and saxophone, and fundraising for ReAct Theatre – details here. (1936 Harbor SW)

WEST SEATTLE BLOCK WATCH CAPTAINS’ NETWORK: 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct (and you’re welcome to come as early as 6 pm to network and get your materials for this year’s Night Out), with special guest SPD Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon talking about the new safety plan in the works for Denny International Middle School and vicinity. Last WSBWCN meeting until September – more info on the WSBWCN website. All welcome, Block Watch involvement not a prerequisite. (Webster/Delridge)

FAMILY STORY TIME: 7 pm tonight at Delridge Library – all ages welcome to enjoy stories and rhymes. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

NIGHTLIFE TONIGHT … see the listings on our calendar!

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates & alerts
June 23, 2015 7:41 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates & alerts
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:41 AM: Nothing to report so far on the outbound commute.

Meantime, it’s the last scheduled day for this closure in The Junction:

8:50 AM: Still quiet. Meantime, in case you’ve been wondering about the ongoing Delridge/Orchard work, this is the latest from Seattle Public Utilities:

The daytime single-lane restriction on SW Orchard Street (east of Delridge Way SW) will remain in place off-and-on through the end of July as crews complete paving and striping. As has been the case throughout this project, the lane may be closed Monday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., and will be opened to traffic during non-work hours. During closures, all westbound traffic will be diverted to the eastbound lane with the assistance of a traffic flagger.

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Prayers for Charleston, in West Seattle: St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church’s invitation
June 22, 2015 10:16 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle religion

From St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church‘s new priest-in-charge Rev. Michael Carroccino:

One week later, Prayers for Mother Emanuel

Saint John the Baptist Episcopal Church invites you to join them for Evening Prayer and Communion this Wednesday night as they remember in prayer the victims of the shootings in Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church, and their families. Offerings will be designated for the Lowcountry Ministries – Evelyn Pinckney Fund. 6:30 PM Wednesday, June 24, at Saint John the Baptist Episcopal Church, 3050 California Ave SW.

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Save the date: Celebrate the reopening of Cove Park on July 18th
June 22, 2015 8:46 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(WSB photo of Cove Park, taken from the bluff across Fauntleroy Way at midday today)
Exactly three years ago, on June 22, 2012, we reported the closure of Cove Park – the pocket beach just north of the Fauntleroy ferry dock – for what was at the time described as about two years of work to upgrade the Barton Pump Station next door. Cove Park’s beloved art installations were taken away for storage, but now the crow and canoe are back … the beach is being restored … and new art will be in view when the beach reopens soon. Thanks to Judy Pickens for the heads-up that the big celebration is set for 2-4 pm on Saturday, July 18th (as she first reported in the Fauntleroy Community Association newsletter): “Festivities will include remarks from community, county, and artist perspectives, music created for the occasion, refreshments, and tours of the upgraded and expanded Barton Street wastewater pump station.” Perfect timing that day, between the West Seattle Grand Parade and the first of this year’s six West Seattle Outdoor Movies!

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More fresh-grown food! High Point Market Garden farm stand opens this Wednesday
June 22, 2015 6:34 pm
|    Comments Off on More fresh-grown food! High Point Market Garden farm stand opens this Wednesday
 |   Gardening | Health | High Point | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, looking eastward across the garden this afternoon)

It’s a mini-farm in the middle of a residential neighborhood – the High Point Market Garden. Every summer, its farm stand offers a weekly chance to buy fresh-grown produce steps from where it’s grown, and the city Department of Neighborhoods sent word that this Wednesday is opening day. Just-harvested organic produce will be on sale 4 pm-7 pm at the farm stand at 32nd and Juneau (map), every Wednesday from this week through September 30th. EBT cards are accepted and the stand participates in Fresh Bucks, doubling the first $10 spent on the card. The announcement adds, “A new feature at the High Point Farm Stand will be the ROAR mobile farm stand that sells produce grown by local farmers across Puget Sound. ROAR, which stands for Roots of All Roads, is focused on connecting community with locally grown produce and sharing new ways to enjoy it.” DoN oversees the High Point Market Garden (one of two in the city – the other is at NewHolly) as part of its P-Patch program.

TUESDAY P.S. We noticed the city webpage for the program had listed a later opening date, in July; the warm, dry weather that’s led so many gardens to bloom earlier has also accelerated food gardens like this, so the date was moved up.

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35th/Roxbury charter-school updates: Site sale finalized; new development plan; local forum scheduled
June 22, 2015 3:42 pm
|      37 COMMENTS
 |   Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Four updates today on the planned charter middle/high school at what’s now the Freedom Church/Jesus Center on the southwest corner of 35th/Roxbury, almost six months after we discovered the proposal:

DEAL CLOSED: The nonprofit that’s developing the school for California-based charter operator Summit Public Schools, Washington Charter School Development, has closed the deal to buy the property. King County records show the purchase price was $4,750,000, almost $2 million more than the site’s 2008 sale price.

TWO-PHASE SITE DEVELOPMENT: Once we found the records of the purchase, we started checking on the status of the plan to remodel and add onto the former supermarket building at the site, and discovered a change in the plan: It’s now going to be developed in two phases, confirms a spokesperson for WCSD, which is affiliated with Los Angeles-based Pacific Charter School Development. First, they’ll remodel the existing building, and they’ve applied for a building permit to do that. The proposed additions (shown here a month ago) would be in a second phase. The school itself would be phased in anyway – Summit says it would start with 6th and 9th grades and add middle/high grades each year until fully enrolled as 6th through 12th.

CHURCH STAYING TFN: Summit Public Schools is still more than a year away from its proposed opening (and awaiting state approval, required because charter schools operate with public funding). So in the meantime, WCSD says, Freedom Church/Jesus Center is “renting back the building for the near future to allow the Church to continue providing its outstanding and award-winning community service in West Seattle while plans for the school are being finalized.” In addition to the church, the center also works with a variety of community programs and partners, including the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative.

PUBLIC FORUM NEXT MONTH: According to the calendar for the Washington Charter School Commission – which will have to approve Summit’s application (linked here) before it can open the school – a public forum is planned at the site as part of the process (as mentioned in our previous update), 6 pm July 21st.

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West Seattle Crime Watch, be-on-the-lookout edition: Small business hit by shoplifter; child saddened by bike thief
June 22, 2015 2:11 pm
|      20 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

2:11 PM: Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports today, and your watchfulness is appreciated:

JUNCTION SHOPLIFTER: From Linda Sabee of Carmilia’s:

Yesterday afternoon (Sunday, June 21) around 4:00, a twenty-something woman shoplifted several items from my store, to the tune of about $325. As she shopped, she told a sad tale about her dying grandmother, proceeded to try on many things and when the store got busy and I was distracted with another customer, she bolted with the unpaid-for items.

She’s tan, athletic but large build, she was wearing a black ‘Fight Like a Girl’ tee with a skirt and tennis shoes. Her long hair was pulled back into a pony tail. She said she grew up around here, moved to San Diego and has been back for about a year to care for her grandmother. She also said she put on ten pounds over the past year. All of this could be untrue. Perhaps she’s a pathological liar as well as a thief.

CHILD’S BICYCLE STOLEN IN ADMIRAL: Maybe you’ll find Rafael‘s bike.

(That’s Rafael and his bike – added 3:11 pm)
Mom Cynthia messaged us:

My child’s bike was stolen from in front of our home last night. It’s a 16″ Tonka boys bike. Looks like (this pic) except no training wheels. If you see it grab it and let me know. Or if you have a 16″ bike we can borrow till we find a new one I would appreciate it. He was fighting back tears this morning trying to be strong. Sweet boy.

This happened near 46th and Stevens.

P.S. We’ll write more about this later but tomorrow night’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network meeting is the place to be for neighborhood crime-prevention info – 6:30 pm, Southwest Precinct (Webster/Delridge). All welcome – you don’t have to be a BW captain or even a BW member (but if you’re interested in finding out more about how it works, come early and mingle – doors open at 6).

7:55 PM UPDATE: See the comments – Rafael’s bike has been found!

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