West Seattle, Washington
16 Tuesday
Calling all artists – the West Seattle Junction Association has a potential project for you:
West Seattle Junction
Signal Box Art Installation Project
Application deadline June 1, 2014The West Seattle Junction Association is seeking to hire an artist for a neighborhood beautification project. The West Seattle Junction has up to five signal boxes which are an excellent opportunity to create new art for our community. Our organization will provide funding, project oversight, and permitting. There will be a volunteer committee to choose the artist. The artist concept will need to follow City of Seattle guidelines and be approved by the City’s Arts Representative.
Please see map for signal box locations:
When a citizens’ group announced on Wednesday that it would file a ballot measure for a Seattle-only property-tax levy to pay for Seattle-only bus service, we promised to publish the text when it was available. Here it is, now that it’s been filed:
The measure would raise property taxes 22 cents per $1,000 of property valuation – meaning, for example, $88 a year if you have a $400,000 house. The full news release is on the Friends of Transit website (which also includes a link to the ballot-measure text, in case you can’t read it in the Scribd embed above). The group needs to gather more than 20,600 valid signatures to get the measure onto the November ballot.
(Thanks to Shannon for sharing this photo via the WSB Facebook page)
2:54 PM: If you missed seeing them earlier this week – those two orcas are back in the area again, just passing Alki Point moments ago and headed south. Thanks to the tipster who sent word of this; the Orca Network Facebook page also has sightings reports, and mentions that NOAA has been tracking them, so you might be able to spot them by looking for a research boat. Please let us know if/where/when you see them!
ADDED 10:21 PM: Thanks to Trileigh Tucker for two more orca photos – above and below this line.
Two weeks and one day until the 10th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day on Saturday, May 10th, and there will be PLENTY of shopping to do – invite your friends, your relatives, your co-workers, get people here from out of town, it’s another big day with more than 270 confirmed sales. We also have some information to share for would-be shoppers who want to help local nonprofits – and we’ll roll that out on the official WSCGSD site later today. But first, a couple logistics points for sellers:
*More than 20 sales only made it halfway through the registration process. We will send e-mail tonight to the addresses we have for those would-be sellers – but if you think you registered, PLEASE check to be sure you have both the acknowledgment note from us AND a receipt from PayPal. If you don’t have both, you might not be registered. E-mail us at garagesale@westseattleblog.com if you don’t, so we can check. And whatever e-mailbox you registered from, please check it over the weekend, because that’s where we will be sending notes checking on whether you just changed your mind midway through, or whether there’s another problem. Our map will only show fully registered sales. Thanks!
*Registered sales will get the “packet” next week and we’re also hoping to include your official sale number, so that you can start telling folks you will be #(whatever) on the map (which will be out one week in advance as usual – that means May 3rd).
More previews to come!
$669.75 worth of Western Family products from the shelves of West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) are on their way to West Seattle Food Bank clients, thanks to the WST customer who donated a shopping spree to the WSFB, and the mad speedy-shopping skills of WSFB board member Chris Porter (top left), who filled the cart this morning:
P.S. The next big WS Food Bank fundraiser is the Instruments of Change gala one week from tonight.
Tomorrow’s a BIG day of community cleanups, with half a dozen around West Seattle, so we wanted to make sure you’d heard about them before the last minute. They include:
STAIRWAY CLEANUP AT DELRIDGE/MYRTLE: 9 am-noon Saturday. Details here.
NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL SPRING CLEAN: The NDNC invites you to meet them at 10 am tomorrow at Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW) for Spring Clean, with groups tackling various tasks including the stairway at Delridge/Genesee. Bags, pickers, refreshments provided – just “show up in conference clothes”!
THREE MORE STAIRWAY CLEANUPS: The two aforementioned stairway cleanups are also part of Feet First’s citywide day of stairway cleanups, and there are three more in West Seattle, listed here: 46th/Hanford, 49th/Genesee, 58th/Carroll.
JUNCTION PLAZA PARK CLEANUP: Join the Junction Neighborhood Organization in sprucing up The Junction’s park at 42nd and Alaska. Meet them there at 9 am tomorrow.
(Are we missing one? Let us know and we’ll make sure it’s on the list as well as part of tomorrow morning’s reminder! editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks! – and if you’re part of one, please share a photo afterward so we can share your hard work with the community … )
(Pond at South Seattle College Arboretum, by “old desolate,” shared via WSB Flickr group)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, some of what’s up for today/tonight:
FOOD BANK SHOPPING SPREE AT THRIFTWAY: You’re invited to cheer on the West Seattle Food Bank during the shopping spree donated by the winner of the WS Thriftway (WSB sponsor) contest, 10 am; details in our preview. (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan)
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Still on spring break? Check out the home of West Seattle history, noon-4 pm on Alki Beach. Find out more about the museum here. (61st/Stevens)
RAINBOW BINGO: “Wild, Wild West” is this month’s theme for Rainbow Bingo at the Senior Center of West Seattle (WSB sponsor). Doors open for refreshments at 6 pm, bingo starts at 7 pm. But call ASAP for reservations! Information’s here. (California/Oregon)
‘BOBCAT BOB,’ LIVE: Popular musician Bob “Bobcat Bob” Rice is live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) tonight, 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
SINGERS AND SONGWRITERS MUSIC FESTIVAL: Music, silent auction, refreshments at Grace Church to benefit summer day camp program, 7 pm; details in our listing. (10323 28th SW)
MIGHTY WURLITZER SPECTACULAR: 7:30 pm at Kenyon Hall, it’s the “Mighty Wurlitzer Spectacular” with a Buster Keaton silent movie. Details here. (7904 35th SW)
‘HAIR’ AT ARTSWEST: First weekend for the new, yet classic, production at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) curtain time 7:30 pm. (4711 California SW)
FEEDBACK LOUNGE ANNIVERSARY: Celebrate The Feedback’s 5th anniversary with “A Very Ozzy Celebration,” 9 pm; details here.
(Latest bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Happy Friday! Two notes looking ahead to the weekend:
RAMP CLOSURE: The Admiral Way offramp from the bridge will be closed much of Saturday.
CITYWIDE ALERTS: Here’s the SDOT citywide list of weekend events (all outside West Seattle) that might affect traffic.
Two months after our first report on Steps at Stevens, a community-proposed plan including a safer walking route into West Seattle High School from California/Stevens, it’s design time, and one of the project organizers, Janet Jones, shares the invitation for you to join in:
Steps at Stevens: A neighborhood connectivity project located at SW Stevens and California Ave SW.
You’re invited to join us for the planning and design of the Admiral District’s Steps at Stevens Project at West Seattle High School.
Help us create a …
*Safe and useful pedestrian route
*Public place of interest and comfortHelp us to …
*Incorporate art and historic architecture
*Reflect the character of the neighborhoodMark your calendar!
Community Design Workshop #1
Tues April 29th 2014 7-9 pm
West Seattle HS Commons
Participate in the Design Game!Community Design Workshop #2
Wed May 21st 2014 5-7 pm
West Seattle HS Commons
Review and Critique 3 conceptual designs!Community Design Workshop #3
Mon June 9th 2014 7-9 pm
West Seattle HS Commons
Review and Critique Final Preferred Design!
A grant is funding the design process; fundraising is planned to get it built.
Refreshments will be provided.
Last year, we reported on Gatewood author Lyanda Lynn Haupt‘s tale of in-city wildlife – something experienced in West Seattle more than many other places! – “The Urban Bestiary: Encountering the Everyday Wild.” This week, big news – “Urban Bestiary” is one of four finalists in the nonfiction category of the Orion Book Awards, which span North American work published in the preceding year and just this year separated nonfiction and fiction contenders. The winners will be announced next month.
The first festival of the year is a week and a half away – and tonight, Lauren Englund from the West Seattle Bee Garden shares details about the second annual WS Bee Festival on Sunday, May 4th:
Festivities will begin with a parade at 11 am, and the West Seattle High School Marching Band will lead the way!
The parade will begin at West Seattle Elementary parking lot (6760 34th Ave SW), and head down 31st Ave and Lanham Pl. to the WS Bee Garden in Commons Park.
The parking lot will open at 10 am for pre-parade face painting and craft making. Everyone is welcome to join!
The picnic will take place in High Point’s Commons Park at 31st Ave SW and SW Graham St. Activities will include a craft tent, face painting, vendors, food, music and more!
Husky Deli is making a special honey-flavored ice cream for the event – with local honey donated by West Seattle’s own Seattle Bee Works. All proceeds will go back to the bees!
Members of the Keep High Point Green project will be around to share their story of successfully preventing the use of herbicides in High Point, way to go team!
The bees are happily nestled in their hives, and can be seen through the plexiglass enclosure surrounding them.
There is plenty to celebrate. The garden is celebrating its first anniversary, and has hosted 15 field trips since its inauguration last May. Schools from as far away as SeaTac have scheduled visits this year – and some are pairing visits with pollinator curriculums that are now available on the bee garden website here, making visits even more meaningful. Students at the University of Washington are presenting a proposal to create a replica of the bee enclosure on UW’s campus, spreading pollinator education even further, and geared toward a new demographic of students. The bee garden has served as an example to other cities, and has been included in presentations as an example of a successful urban bee project in cities as far away as Lafayette Ohio, who hope to build similar spaces.
The garden has been named a beneficiary of the West Seattle Garden Tour this year (thank you very much to the tour!) and is being considered for Seattle Tilth’s Urban Farm Tour in July.
Way to go West Seattle! We did it, and are still going strong! The bees and plants thank you, and we all hope you can come celebrate with us May 4th!
That’s where King County Executive Dow Constantine says Metro will make the cuts to close the funding gap that remains after Proposition 1’s defeat (here are today’s updated results) and the Legislature’s failure to pass a transportation-funding package. As far as we can tell, it’s the same revised draft that was on the county website by Election Night, and featured in our coverage that night. In West Seattle, four routes would be deleted – 21, 22, 37, 57.
The county’s news release says the cuts will revert service to 1997 levels. An excerpt:
Following the defeat of Proposition 1, King County Metro Transit must move forward with its proposal to cut about 16 percent of transit service, steps required to reduce spending and balance its budget in light of the expiration of the temporary Congestion Reduction Charge and the lack of replacement revenues.
“We’ve worked more than five years to create efficiencies and take other steps to avert service cuts and keep the buses rolling for our riders, so it’s deeply disappointing to see this measure defeated. As a result, we must now move forward to reduce the system to match our revenues, as any enterprise must do,” said Metro Transit General Manager Kevin Desmond. “We regret that many people who rely on Metro will lose service, be inconvenienced, or ride on more-crowded buses because of the service reductions.”
An online summary list shows the 72 Metro bus routes slated for deletion and the 84 routes that would be reduced or revised. Detailed route-by-route information will be updated online today as the service cuts ordinance is transmitted to the King County Council for action. The council is scheduled to consider the legislation in May and act by early June. If adopted, the service cuts would be scheduled to begin in September.
We’ll add links when the route-by-route information is available – we just checked a moment ago and it’s not on the county website yet.
5:24 PM: The route-by-route information is now available – here’s the starting page. Each “square” with a route number links to the information about that route. Note that the headings for each route’s info shows when the change/deletion is proposed. Routes 21, 22, 37, and 57 – the four to be eliminated in West Seattle – aren’t scheduled for deletion until September of 2015, according to this new information.
Two reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
First, a street attack/robbery for which we finally have the police report – we heard about it from the victim’s sister early yesterday, but it happened around 2 am Tuesday. 
The victim works nights at Home Depot and was taking a break out walking northbound on Delridge at Orchard when he was attacked and robbed by three men who told him not to run as they passed him on the street. He started to walk away, and they followed him, so he started to run, and they chased him. One caught up with him and pulled him down to the ground in the crosswalk at Delridge and Orchard; the two others started punching him and kicking him, and reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet. The police report says two witnesses who saw the attack from outside the nearby Tug Inn told the same story. The only descriptive information given by the witnesses and victim was that all three attackers were male and black, the first attacker about 6’3″ and wearing a gray plaid long-sleeved polo shirt, the other two in their teens/early twenties, one wearing a gray hoodie and gray pants, the other with dreadlocks and white shorts. Police arrived within four minutes of the first call, the report says, and called in K-9s to try to track the attackers, but they were unsuccessful. The victim’s sister says her brother is doing better but was hurt pretty badly from being kicked in the head.
Our second report is from the “in case you wondered” files – thanks to Marika for the tip last night that police had converged on West Seattle Coins at California/Oregon.
A window was shattered, but so far as police could determine, it wasn’t a burglary – there was no sign anyone had entered.
(WSB photo from 2013 shopping spree)
If you have some free time around 10 tomorrow morning, or plan to be out grocery shopping anyway, West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) invites you to come cheer for the West Seattle Food Bank‘s big shopping spree, courtesy of a customer. Michele from Thriftway explains::
During West Seattle Thriftway’s 26th Anniversary Event the company held a fundraiser to benefit the West Seattle Food bank raffling off a $500 Western Family Shopping Spree. Ticket were $1/each and the grand total of money raised reached over $1,500!
The winning ticket, chosen on March 26th, was designated by the purchasing customer to go to the West Seattle Food Bank. Please join us on Friday at 10 a.m.. to cheer on Chris Porter, from the Board of Directors for the Food Bank, as he runs down the aisles grabbing as much Western Family merchandise he can in 4 minutes!
Last year’s spree also turned into a giving spree for the Food Bank. This time of year, giving to the WS Food Bank or its neighboring White Center Food Bank counts extra because until the end of the month – six more days! – the Feinstein Challenge (explained here) magnifies the gift.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One full year after signing the lease for the former Circle K site in South Delridge, the proprietors of Burger Boss are close to opening West Seattle’s next burger joint.
We talked with co-proprietor Brian Azzano at the almost-ready-to-open site (9061 Delridge Way SW) last night. WSB readers had reported sightings of activity for weeks – and we noticed exterior work, including the parking lot resurfacing – but it took a while to connect with the proprietors.
Now they’re uncloaked online too, with a website, Facebook page, and Twitter account. And they have an in-your-face logo – a burger and fist.
But job 1 is to get the home of Burger Boss open.
(Photo by Don Brubeck, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
DINING OUT FOR LIFE: Today/tonight brings the annual citywide restaurant/bar fundraiser Dining Out for Life benefiting Lifelong AIDS Alliance, with six West Seattle and White Center establishments participating, as previewed here earlier this month.
PACIFIC ISLANDER ACCESS TO COLLEGE NIGHT: Special event at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor); details in our calendar listing. Brockey Center, 6-8 pm. (6000 16th SW)
THE WHALE TRAIL PARTY: Instead of a lecture/presentation this month, The Whale Trail invites you to a celebration/fundraiser as their work extends along the West Coast and the greater “whale trail,” as explained in our preview. At C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 6:30 pm. (5612 California SW)
DELRIDGE NIGHT OUT: The fourth Thursday of the month, 7-11 pm, it’s a benefit for the future Delridge Grocery at Skylark Café and Club, with live music starting at 8, as explained in our calendar listing. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
‘HAIR’ AT ARTSWEST: It’s night two of the new, yet classic, production at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) curtain time 7:30 pm. (4711 California SW)
…and even more on the calendar!
Six months after a screening of “Girl Rising” at West Seattle’s historic Admiral Theater, local Girl Scouts are organizing an encore showing on Tuesday, May 6th (7:30 pm) – but need to sell enough tickets in the next few days to make sure it’ll happen, so they asked us to help get the word out. The trailer above introduces you to some of the girls from around the world whose inspiring stories are told in the film. Interested in going? Here’s the ticket link.
(Latest bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Once again today, no major road work planned, but here’s another reminder that the Admiral Way offramp from the bridge will be closed much of Saturday.
Shutouts for both West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School in their varsity-baseball games on Wednesday. First, the Wildcats:
Greg Slader shares the photo of Joe Mitchell, who he reports had three hits during a lopsided game against Franklin (the score is listed in The Times as 17-0): “Everyone got a chance to play as the rain was unable to spoil West Seattle’s game vs. the Quakers. Friday’s game is at Franklin before next week’s big games against Chief Sealth.”
Speaking of whom – the Seahawks hosted Rainier Beach, winning 10-0. Those two teams also have a rematch on Friday, 3:30 pm at Rainier Beach.
(SPD Mounted Patrol officers photographed by Faith on Barton by Westwood/Roxhill last week)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Roxhill Park/Westwood Village, a more-troubled area than ever lately, is getting beefed-up SPD attention, Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Wilske told the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network last night.
In his briefing at the start of their monthly meeting, he addressed both current problems and concerns about the approaching summer.
Regarding the latter, the area is one of three at the heart of the summertime emphasis plan he has drafted, along with Alki (for the usual reasons) and Lincoln Park (primarily for its car-prowling problems). “Exactly how much (of the requested resources) I’m going to get in terms of what I’m asking for, because it’s fairly significant, I haven’t heard that yet,” he said. He’s said before that he is hoping for Mounted Patrol resources and added on Tuesday night that he hopes some officers will be able to patrol the area on bicycles.
As for the current situation at Westwood Village, where incidents have ranged from recurring shoplifting to an assault on an officer, Capt. Wilske says officers are assigned to be in the area more regularly so that if a call comes in, they can get to it quicker than ever. Community Police Team Officer Jonathan Kiehn added that right now there’s a strategy of working on a big-picture fix for a “lot of little things” that require increased communications, security, and procedures on businesses’ part at Westwood, as well as help from police.
ALSO COMING UP THIS SUMMER: “We’re going to be doing traffic emphasis along 35th SW for the summer,” looking for “speed and distracted driving,” said Capt. Wilske. “If you are driving on 35th SW you probably want to be driving the speed limit and you want to be using your hands-free devices.”
Ahead (if you’re reading this from the home page), updates on notable incidents, plus the night’s featured guest:
One more reminder that TONIGHT is the deadline – 11:59 pm, about three hours away – to sign up a sale for the upcoming 10th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day! Though WSCGSD isn’t until May 10th, every year, after a 3+-week sign-up period, we have to close it down in time to get all the locations and listings into the map/guide so that it’ll be available a week in advance. If you’ve already signed up, PLEASE doublecheck to be sure you have both the confirmation e-mail from us and the receipt from PayPal – you’re not registered without both. If you didn’t get that receipt, or if you have any other question, we’re monitoring the special mailbox garagesale@westseattleblog.com through sale day. P.S. If you are signing up your sale now to beat the deadline, here’s the link. Thank you! (And watch WSB starting tomorrow for sale-countdown news and spotlights.)
A high-profile visitor today at West Seattle Elementary School, from half a world away – Phiona Mutesi came to show the students what can happen if you work really hard at something. In her case, it’s chess that’s brought her into the spotlight from an impoverished neighborhood in Uganda. Students are learning it at WSES via the First Move program. Phiona, whose dream is to become a grandmaster, visited a third-grade classroom where chess instruction was happening, before speaking at an assembly:
Those accompanying her for the visit included (at right above) “The Chess Lady.” Phiona’s success, including junior championships in her home country as well as competitions abroad, has been detailed in stories including this one in ESPN Magazine. Tomorrow she will be featured on KING 5 News, whose morning anchor Mark Wright was one of the journalists covering her visit along with our crew.
4:23 PM: “Yes” on Metro/roads-money Proposition 1 gained a bit of ground in the second round of results just released but “no” is still leading, now by nine percentage points. Current tally:
No – 224,441 votes, 54.51%
Yes – 187,324 votes, 45.49%
5:22 PM: County leaders have issued a news release saying that they’re now making plans for Metro cuts. County Executive Dow Constantine is quoted as saying, “We gave the voters a choice, and presented a proposal for saving Metro Transit and maintaining our roads. They have chosen a reduced level of service, and we will carry out the will of the voters. Tomorrow I will transmit legislation to the King County Council to reduce service by 550,000 hours and eliminate 72 bus routes.” The County Council’s Transportation, Economy and Environment committee will have public hearings on the plan before taking final action by the end of May. The draft version of the 550,000-hour reduction is in our election report from last night.
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