West Seattle, Washington
20 Sunday
A ceremony last night at Alki Masonic Hall in The Junction honored the local students chosen for this year’s School Awards from Lodge #152, the 36th year the lodge has presented awards “in support of our public-school system.” Eight juniors from each of two schools were honored, four girls and four boys:
Above, the West Seattle High School honorees. Accompanied in our photo by principal Ruth Medsker, they are, in alphabetical order:
Megan Duong
Charli Elliott
Maxwell Eronimous
Holly Hinnant
Nathaniel Livingston
Isaac Peck
Edward Sander
Annalisa Ursino
And from Chief Sealth International High School, photographed with counselor Jol Raymond, the honorees are:
Olivia Boyd
Sophia Boyd
Mabel Hernandez Collazo
Kelsey Lawson
Aidan McMurray
Yael Pina
Simon Tweolde
Lincoln Vuong
The lodge also honored four selected students from the previous year’s honoree roster. From those four, Matthew Wo from CSIHS received a $1,000 scholarship:
The “2013 Top Boys and Girls” also included Sealth’s Eileen Lee and WSHS’s Megan Antalan and Michael Lee. Last night’s ceremony was emceed by Martin Monk of Lodge 152; he also is a member of the Education Council that coordinates the awards program, along with Gary Langenbach, John Bozeat, and Elmer Lindseth.
Thanks to Lise for sharing husband Brian‘s photo of an eagle and heron on Alki over the weekend. Lise says the eagle “promptly made a U-turn and attacked the heron. No animals were harmed, they flew off their separate ways. What a sight!” Now, some of the sights and sounds on the schedule for today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
‘SALUTE TO VETERANS’ LUNCHEON: 11:45 am at the Senior Center of West Seattle, you’re invited to lunch, and to hear from Col. Kevin McMahan of the Washington National Guard. Lunch is free for veterans, suggested $3 donation for others, call ASAP to RSVP – info’s in our calendar listing. (California/Oregon)
‘PRINCESS ANGELINE’: 1 pm at the Duwamish Longhouse, free screening of the film about Chief Seattle‘s daughter; details in our calendar listing. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
PATHFINDER PLAYGROUND PROJECT – YOUR PRESENCE COUNTS! The more the merrier at tonight’s 5:30-7 pm meeting about the ongoing Pathfinder K-8 playground project; be there not only to share your thoughts about design, but because participation is counted as volunteer hours matching part of the grant that’s involved. Easy and fun. Details in our calendar listing. (1901 SW Genesee)
HIGH-SCHOOL FAIR: Tonight’s the night that Westside School (WSB sponsor) hosts its first High School Fair, 6-8 pm, and all West Seattle families are welcome. Almost 20 schools are expected to participate; details in our calendar listing. (7740 34th SW)
HELP SHAPE SAFER WAYS TO GET TO SCHOOL: The SDOT School Road Safety Plan is in the works; your help shaping it is vital. 6-7:30 pm, join a workshop at Southwest Branch Library; details in our calendar listing. (35th/Henderson)
WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: No featured guest tonight, so this meeting of the WSCPC is all about your chance to hear about crime trends and ask local police leadership about neighborhood concerns. 7 pm, Southwest Precinct meeting room. (Webster/Delridge)
SINGER-SONGWRITER SHOWCASE: 7-10 pm at The Cask in The Admiral District, including “surprise guests.” (2350 California SW)
…AND MORE NIGHTLIFE: Jazz, blues, karaoke, guitar, trivia – you’ll also find listings for tonight for all of the above (and more) on our calendar!
Have a terrific Tuesday.
From SPD Blotter: A 35-year-old suspect pulled over in Highland Park last night for alleged speeding/reckless driving turned out to be in possession of a pound of methamphetamine, say police, worth about $45,000 on the street. The SPD Blotter report also notes that the suspect had 23 prior felony convictions, and a current arrest warrant. The arrest happened in the 7800 block of 16th SW (map). Here’s the report on SPD’s website; we’re checking for more on the suspect’s background.
(WS Bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:39 AM: No problems reported so far on the routes through/from West Seattle. Road-work reminder: Crews are expected to be working on both Charlestown (west of California) and Genesee (east of Avalon Way) today.
8:01 AM: From comments – bridge trouble, explained by D as: “Stalled truck on the bridge just before midspan.” (Not seeing it on the cameras, though.)
(Before being pulled up & out, the pickup was out of view, downslope & behind the trees)
1:19 AM: Bizarre hit-and-run crash in Gatewood; pickup truck down an embankment off the east (northbound) side of California by Fontanelle (map). A tree kept it from hitting a downslope house; its driver got out and ran. The pickup was not stolen, though, police told us at the scene. Pulling it up off the slope will be a bit of a challenge.
2:39 AM: Setting up to get the truck back up to California SW – and out, between a bus-stop sign and a power pole – took painstaking work, but the tow crew did it (with SFD Ladder 11 on site for a while, and then a Seattle City Light employee keeping watch to be sure the power pole made it through unscathed).
California was closed while this operation unfolded. What caused the pickup to veer off the road, we don’t know; the area had some signage left over from daytime utility work in the road, related to two newly built homes on the west side. A witness had told us the pickup hit a parked car before veering off the road, and we noticed it about a half-block uphill.
If you’ve only driven, never walked or bicycled, down that stretch, you likely don’t know just how steep the dropoff is, though height-wise, it’s only about two stories.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight and a reminder.
BANK-ROBBERY FOLLOWUP: First, we followed up on Friday evening’s Washington Federal bank robbery north of The Junction, inquiring with both Seattle Police and the FBI, hoping they would have surveillance images to circulate. So far, none have been made available. Police had only a bare-bones report available; it describes the robber as a white man estimated to be between 40 to 60 years old. The report says the “handgun” shown by the robber might have been plastic, and that he might have fled to a sedan in the alley. We also heard from a reader who says she was in the bank when the robbery happened and offered additional descriptive details: That the robber wore “a plastic, full faced Halloween mask, not a ski mask. He had gloves on … no taller than 5’6”. thin build. walked in stealthily … gruff voice.” If you have any information, call 911.
PHONE ROBBERY: Later Friday night, a 13-year-old girl was robbed of her cell phone while walking near Southwest Athletic Complex, on her way back to the late-night teen program at Southwest Teen Life Center. One of her parents e-mailed us to share details; the victim was holding her cell phone, says the parent, when a group of girls asked her for it – she refused, but one girl pulled her hair and the other one grabbed the phone and they ran off. She wasn’t otherwise hurt, and they did file a report with police, but not until the next day, because at first the victim was embarrassed to tell her parent what had happened, since she had checked out of the program without getting permission. The parent says there’s one more sad part: The phone was her last gift from her other parent before that parent became critically ill, “and now it’s gone.” The message for other teens: “Rules are put there to protect them and they need to follow them … people do horrible things … walk in groups, don’t take out (your) cell phone.”
REMINDER: Tomorrow (Tuesday) night is the monthly West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, and this time instead of a guest presentation, it’s all about recent trends and your concerns. If you have a question or concern for local police, be there – 7 pm, Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster).
This year’s salmon-release season at Fauntleroy Creek is at the midpoint, reports watershed/creek steward Judy Pickens: “We’ve hosted some 350 children so far, who have introduced an estimated
900 coho fry into the creek.” She shared that short video clip, recorded by volunteer Peggy Cummings during the KapKa Cooperative School‘s salmon-release visit. That’s volunteer Dennis Hinton helping the students in/by the water, and mostly off-camera, that’s the voice of KapKa staffer Jamie Shilling, leading the singing and drumming. This week and next, nine school visits remain before this year’s round of releases is done (here’s our coverage of the season’s first one).
Two years after neighborhoods around the city started sounding the alarm about what became known as small-lot development, the City Council has passed new rules to regulate it.
While the final vote on the bill was unanimous, the votes on two amendments were not – with one regarding developable lot size approved by a 6-3 vote, and one limiting height passing 5-4. That one was proposed by West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who later said that zoning rules for small-lot development were “not about keeping people out, but about welcoming people in” within the context of neighborhoods’ existing character.
Those speaking in the public-comment period that started the council meeting included West Seattleites from the Benchview neighborhood, which has been prominent in the small-lot fight for a year and a half, since discovering a house on an 11,500-square-foot corner lot had been sold, after its owner’s death, to developers who planned to split it into three and add two new houses. Benchview residents took their concerns to court; while the judge partly sided with them, the city allowed a lot split and the new owners began building the houses, one of which was featured in neighbors’ projected-video protest this past weekend. (While some development advocates contend small-lot development is more affordable and environmentally friendly because the houses are “smaller,” the new Benchview houses are 3,162 square feet and 2,624 square feet; the pre-existing home is 2,380 sf.)
One of the earlier briefings on the city zoning changes even cited the Benchview case as one that would not have been allowed under the new rules, which will regulate lot sizes and shapes as well as characteristics of homes on the smallest lots. Councilmember Mike O’Brien, who chairs the Planning/Land Use/Sustainability Committee, said he expects followup legislation including some rules for neighborhood notification of lot-split proposals.
A busy three days north of the border for West Seattle High School Marching Band musicians and director Ethan Thomas, marching this morning in the Victoria Day Parade in Victoria, B.C. Thanks again to Steve White for the photos (including this Saturday update after the band arrived), then the top photo from today’s parade, and below, their participation in the “Parade of Bands” outside the Parliament Building in Victoria.
The Victoria Day holiday is a celebration of not only Queen Victoria but also the Commonwealth’s reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth, as explained here.
Thanks to Leslie and Paul (whose photo is above) for word that the non-toxic microorganisms known as noctiluca have returned to West Seattle waters. When the weather and water warm up, this type of bloom tends to show up, rendering the water an alarming orange-ish-red, but authorities assure us it’s not toxic to humans or animals. It’s been almost exactly a year since the first reports of noctiluca in spring/summer 2013; it also showed up in June. This state webpage has more information as well as an e-mail address for a researcher who would like to hear about it when you see it.
(Added: Seattle Channel video of the Sawant/Licata announcement)
Two Seattle City Councilmembers say they have a different idea for raising tax money to avoid Metro Transit cuts. Less than a week after Mayor Murray unveiled his sales-tax/car-tab-tax plan, Councilmembers Nick Licata and Kshama Sawant have just announced that they are asking city staff to draft a proposal to raise money through a commercial-parking tax and the return of the so-called “head tax,” repealed in 2009 amid claims it hampered job growth. Those taxes could be imposed by a council vote. (They’re among the alternatives listed in the online poll the West Seattle Transportation Coalition is running until tomorrow; parking tax is currently the top vote-getter, head tax second from last.) They would not fully replace Murray’s proposal, though, reports The Seattle Times (WSB partner); they would replace the proposed sales-tax increase, but a car-tab tax would still go to voters. Here’s the official Licata/Sawant announcement:
Councilmember Nick Licata and Councilmember Kshama Sawant and individuals representing working people, elderly, disabled, students, and people of color announced their plan today to address proposed cuts to Seattle Metro bus service. The proposed plan would use a Commercial Parking Tax increase and an Employer Head Tax to prevent devastating cuts to transit.
With the failure of Proposition 1 on April 22, King County Metro will implement the first of four planned rounds of bus service cuts. If all of these cuts happen, 16% of bus service, or 550,000 annual service hours, will disappear.
“If approved by Council, the Mayor’s proposal will go to the ballot in November, but not in time to prevent the first round of cuts. These initial cuts, and the funding that would kick in if â€Plan C’ were approved, places a burden on poor and working people,” said Licata. “There are other options, and they are options that don’t expose our most vulnerable populations to more regressive taxation. The City Council has the ability to implement an Employer’s Head Tax and increase the commercial parking tax to fund public transportation,” Licata added. “If the City Council moves on this, we can prevent devastating cuts. I have asked our policy staff to research exactly how much revenue could be raised through these means, and to begin drafting legislation to introduce to the City Council.”
When the city announced a week ago that three stretches of West Seattle roadway would get traction-improvement work this month (along with other areas of the city), there was a warning that the dates were “subject to change.” Indeed, one date did change – thanks to Paula and Marc for the heads-up; in case you missed the mention in today’s traffic/transit watch, here’s your standalone advisory that the SW Charlestown traction-improvement work west of California SW, originally planned for this Thursday/Friday, is under way NOW. Side streets are all marked a block to the north and south with signage warning that access is for residents only. It’s expected to take two days.
The first West Seattle project on the list, Olson Place, happened as announced, over the weekend; we asked SDOT if the Charlestown acceleration would affect the remaining West Seattle project, SW Genesee east of Avalon Way, but spokesperson Marybeth Turner says Genesee is still scheduled to start tomorrow.
From this morning’s city Land Use Information Bulletin, approvals for two more Junction projects, including one that drew community concern for its lack of offstreet parking:
(Rendering: NK Architects)
4535 44TH SW: Back in November, this project, Lofts at The Junction, was the subject of a community-petitioned meeting, requested by neighbors concerned mostly about its 36 apartments/two live-work units having been proposed without any offstreet parking, as allowed by city zoning because of the proximity of frequent transit. The Department of Planning and Development has now ruled that it does not require a full environmental review, and has made a Determination of Non-Significance; here’s the announcement; here’s the decision (which also summarizes comments received about the project, including Design Review and the aforementioned requested-by-petition meeting). This starts the clock on a 2-week period for appeals (info here). The project had its final Southwest Design Review Board meeting last December.
4433 42nd SW: A similar decision has been announced for this four-story, 78-apartment/two-live-work-unit project, Junction Flats, planned with 53 offstreet-parking spaces. See the notice here; the decision details are here. June 2nd is the appeal deadline for this (info here) as well. This project finished Design Review in January.
Ladies and gentlemen it is my honor to introduce to you the next Chief of Police for the City of #Seattle pic.twitter.com/yrN4NoGWeo
— Ed Murray (@Mayor_Ed_Murray) May 19, 2014
Mayor Murray has just appeared at City Hall with his choice for Seattle Police Chief, Kathleen O’Toole, who will be the first female SPD chief if confirmed.
Speaking after Murray’s announcement, O’Toole said she has four themes:
*Public trust – “work tirelessly to restore” (it)
*Restore department pride – “if people make honest mistakes we’ll stand by them”
*Crime and quality of life – “I think we need to develop a plan for each neighborhood in this city,” including violence prevention
*Good business – “we’re running a large organization … we need to do it efficiently and effectively as possible”
In questions post-announcement, she said she hopes to visit the precincts often. “No one person can change this organization – it will be a collective, collaborative effort,” she added. And she called the job “the icing on the cake [for her career] not a stepping stone. … I love the fact that this city is an innovation city, second to none.”
As of this writing at 10:19 am, she’s still answering media questions (live stream here; we’ll add the video when it’s available later). You can read more about her in this recent Seattle Times (WSB partner) profile.
ADDED 4:45 PM: As promised, city-produced video of the announcement:
The mayor’s news release is here.
ADDED 5:57 PM: Read even more about the new chief, including the fact she doesn’t drink coffee, on SPD Blotter.
Thanks to Trileigh Tucker for sharing two photos (see the one below, next to a somewhat related event listing!) of a baby dark-eyed junco requesting, and receiving, food from Dad. Watch out for baby wildlife in the park and elsewhere this time of year! And now – a few things from the calendar for today/tonight:
DEVELOPMENT ISSUES @ CITY HALL: Two items in which West Seattle neighborhood advocates have been active – during its regular 2 pm meeting, the City Council will consider amending and voting on new rules for “small-lot” development, as the Benchview neighborhood pointed out over the weekend. Documents are linked on the agenda (item #2). The meeting will start with a public-comment period for that and/or anything else on the agenda. Then at 5:30 pm, also at City Hall, it’s the official public hearing on rules regarding so-called “microhousing” (small apartments gathered around shared space that usually includes a communal kitchen); here’s our most-recent preview; here’s the official notice, which includes information on how to comment if you can’t go to tonight’s hearing. (600 4th Avenue)
LOU WHITTAKER AT WSHS: The renowned mountaineer speaks at the West Seattle High School Theater at 6:30 pm, benefiting the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. Details in our calendar listing. (3000 California SW)
CELEBRATING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT: The community is invited to help Lodge 152 congratulate local students for a job well done:
Alki Masonic Lodge’s #152 annual School Awards Presentation will take place (tonight) at Alki Masonic Center, 4036 40th Ave SW. Each year, the Masons present awards to outstanding high school juniors from West Seattle High School, and Chief Sealth International High School. This year an additional Scholarship will be presented to one outstanding senior from last years recipients. The awards ceremony begins promptly at 7:00 pm in the main lodge room, and will be followed by light refreshments in the banquet hall.
(40th/Edmunds)
(2nd of 2 photos by Trileigh Tucker)
NATURE EDUCATION: Announced as being for “families, educators and anyone working with young children,” the West Seattle Preschool Association and Vashon Wilderness Program offer “a fun evening in nature” at Camp Long‘s Pollywog Pond tonight, 7-9 pm, free but you’re asked to register here: “Connecting young people with nature has become essential as humans are increasingly disconnecting with the natural world. Join Vashon Wilderness Program’s Executive Director for a lively interactive presentation on nature education for the young child and learn the essential Keys to Deep Nature Connection Mentoring that stimulate learning, health and vitality. This program combines lecture and experiential learning, and a portion of it will take place outside. Please come dressed for the weather and prepared to move.” (5200 35th SW)
(WS Bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
An alert if you drive 1st Avenue South to get downtown – SDOT says signals are out in the stadium area for maintenance, so that’s going to slow things down:
Update: Signals are now turned off (~30 min) just north of 1st Ave S & Royal Broughham. Expect delays. pic.twitter.com/p4radIqkW1
— seattledot (@seattledot) May 19, 2014
SDOT says two signals on Alaskan Way are involved too, so don’t detour that way.
7:46 AM: West Seattle neighborhood traffic alert – though SDOT’s announcement of dates for traction-improvement work on local roads didn’t have Charlestown hill west of California SW scheduled until later this week, area resident Paula says the closure is being set up right now.
7:54 AM: Update from SDOT on those downtown signals:
Good news:
-1st & Railroad: back on
-1st & King: soon
Bad news:
-3 signals on Alaskan Way will be down ALL DAY (Yesler, Main, Columbia)
— seattledot (@seattledot) May 19, 2014
11:35 PM: Northbound Highway 99 is closed in the stadium zone because of a crash involving a motorcycle. Police have closed the ramp from the eastbound West Seattle Bridge, too, since there’s no place to detour before that. Per radio communications, they’re working now to figure out how to reroute the traffic that is already on 99 and now stopped. The closure is likely to last a while, as the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad has been dispatched.
12:27 AM: The motorcycle rider was killed, according to SFD.
NOTE: Official updates have been scarce so far, so the highway might reopen before there’s official word; if you’re heading out early and want an update, you can check this camera to see if traffic has resumed on NB 99.
5:12 AM: According to citywide media, 99 has reopened.
10:56 AM: More details now via a report on SPD Blotter – the rider was a 34-year-old man pronounced dead at the scene (not yet identified by name); police found no evidence that another vehicle was involved, but believe speed was a factor.
(Click image to see larger view)
Thanks to JayDee for the rain-sun-mix view from Upper Alki – after a day full of sunshine that wasn’t anywhere in the official forecast, but was good news for this morning’s West Seattle 5K (WSB coverage here) and the ensuing Summer Streets on Alki (coverage here and here). Next reason for forecast-fretting: Memorial Day weekend approaches. Right now, the National Weather Service forecast looks a lot like this weekend was supposed to look – cloudy, showery – so here’s hoping that too turns out to be not the case.
5:51 PM: Coronated at this afternoon’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Tea & Silent Auction: New Senior Court Queen Lorelei McFadden. (Added: Video of the announcement and the crowning of the Senior Court:)
She, Nina Coluccio, and Hang Thao (first male Senior Court candidate since Hi-Yu updated its rules) will reign over this summer’s Hi-Yu events, including parade participation around the region aboard this area’s last community-created float. Queen Lorelei is at center in our photo, with her predecessor April Davis at left, and Miss Seafair Emily Rio Barber. We’ll be expanding this story later with more from this afternoon’s Hall at Fauntleroy event.
ADDED 8:23 PM: Today’s emcee was, from the Seafair Clowns, West Seattle-residing “Officer Lumpy” emceed:
Past royalty at the tea included the 2012 courts – Senior Court Queen Kayli Schulz and Junior Court Princess Elena Kline, Queen Thea Pulido, and Princess Amanda Elders:
And of course, there was tea, in beautiful china:
P.S. Our partners at The Seattle Times also had a photojournalist at the coronation; you can see their photo gallery here.
(Photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand, unless otherwise credited)
At least the rain stayed away from Seattle Summer Streets on Alki until after the Alki Beach Creeps‘ second annual Bicycle/Costume Parade. If you weren’t there, here are some of the sights!
Dogs aren’t so rare at the beach – but this might be the first cat we’ve seen join the parade:
Seattle Police led the parade – here’s a quick video clip from the start:
ADDED 4:44 PM: Thanks to Tim for a photo of the parade group at the turnaround point at Don Armeni – and the scenic skyline while the sun was still out:
Were you in the parade (or any other Summer Streets events)? Photo to share? editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!
2:08 PM: A crash on 8th SW just north of Roxbury has blocked both sides of 8th. No serious injuries reported, but you’ll have to detour around it until it’s cleared. Through traffic on Roxbury is not affected by the crash, but the road is narrowed just east of the intersection while an SDOT truck is there for cleanup. Let us know if you go through and it’s clear – we’ll check back around 3.
3:45 PM: Went back over to check as promised – it’s open again.
You’ll have a whale of a time at Seattle Summer Streets this afternoon on Alki Avenue SW – check out the street art by Seal Sitters‘ booth, with a gray whale (and, out of the frame, seal mom and pup) already chalked within moments of the festival’s start, and more to come, including an orca. If you have kids, stop by the booth for a coloring sheet to take home. You can have fun just walking, or bring your bike:
That’s Stu Hennessey, who you’ll find with DIY Bikes. The police are on two wheels, too:
Be at 63rd and Alki at 1 pm for the bike parade – and enjoy activities along the rest of the stretch – updates to come!
ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: Thanks to those who shared photos with us – first, from Don Brubeck of West Seattle Bike Connections, the bicycle rodeo:
See more photos in the report on WSBC’s website. And thanks to Paul Twibell for the photo of Bubbleman:
You’ll also see him at the Morgan Junction Community Festival, coming up in about a month (Saturday, June 21st). P.S. Paul shot many more photos at Summer Streets; his Flickr gallery is here.
(UPDATED late afternoon with results link)
9:30 AM: The race is on! At 9:20, more than 830 runners and walkers started heading eastward on the West Seattle 5K course, the kickoff to a day of fun on (and in!) Alki Avenue SW, to be followed by the Summer Streets festival until 5 pm.
We’ll be updating WS5K coverage with (more) photos, video, and race winners once they’re in.
9:53 AM: First three finishers among males and females:
Male
======
#1 – Joe Creighton, 34, 16:43
#2 – Kyle Smits, 35, 17:12
#3 – John O’Hearn, 52, 17:48
Female
=======
#1 – Kylen Fountain, 25, 20:09
#2 – Angela Wecker, 29, 20:49
#3 – Alisha Winger, 34, 21:36
West Seattle High School principal Ruth Medsker was the official race starter:
That’s her with race emcee Eric Radovich. The WSHS PTSA presents the WS5K every year, to raise money for student needs beyond what basic budgets cover.
11:02 AM: More race scenes – top female finisher Kylen Fountain with her aunt Karen Berge, who ran today too:
You might know Karen for her community involvement – West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network, West Seattle Be Prepared, among other things – and you’ll see her tabling at today’s Summer Streets, too. Meantime – good thing the race didn’t have the “no shirt, no shoes, no …” rule:
That’s Beach Drive resident Bob Divers with no place for the bib or chip. By the way, if you haven’t even come to watch the WS5K, let alone run in it, it’s fun on the sidelines too:
In addition to more photos, we recorded our traditional everybody-leaving-the-finish-line video and will add that when it’s ready. (Added: Here it is!)
4:23 PM UPDATE: The full list of results is live online – find it here.
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