West Seattle, Washington
23 Thursday
First coyote report in a few weeks, shared this morning by Diane:
Around 10:45 pm last night I was heading up my street (Garlough Ave SW) and saw two of them, heading south, about mid block, between Stevens and Hanford street (map). They then headed west into a neighbor’s yard, most likely one that has access to the back alley. We live close to a trail into Schmitz Park and I wasn’t surprised to see them. My neighbor has seen them in the back yard sometimes. The back yard is on the park boundary, near the trail leading into it.
Reminders are always good for those with pets – keep them inside at night!
Even if you’re not near a park or greenbelt, they might be in your area – browse the WSB archive of coyote reports (some with photos) to see. For expert advice on how to encourage them to keep their distance – most notably, scaring them away if you see one – go here and follow the “solutions to problems” link.
(Live view from the west-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
Nothing unusual in this vicinity so far today – but the roads are wet and overall, that means slower going. Meantime, two repaving projects are scheduled to continue: 6000 block of Beach Drive, one lane alternating directions with a flagger, and Delridge repaving between Henderson and Roxbury. (Added – as noted in comments – work is not complete on Orchard west of Delridge, as an offshoot of the paving project – it’s scheduled to continue through the week, with the westbound side listed as the current focus zone.)
WEST SEATTLE TRANSIT COALITION: Our report on its launch will be up later today. If you’re on the bus and ready to read about it now, the first round of notes from its organizers are here, and our video of the meeting (better suited for listening than watching due to camera challenges) is here.
NOTE FOR TOMORROW: Thanks to Tracy for the heads-up that the annual Microsoft meeting is tomorrow (Thursday, September 26) – at KeyArena this time, but events there can cause domino-effect congestion down the line, so consider yourself forewarned.
7:45 AM UPDATE: Crash at 35th/Fauntleroy – thanks to Jana and Kristen for the tips via Twitter. Here’s a view on the live camera:
Does not appear to be a major-injury situation, judging by the 911 dispatch.
8:06 AM UPDATE: Camera view shows the crash scene has cleared.
8:15 AM NOTE: As mentioned here last night, this is an “early dismissal” day for Seattle Public Schools, so you will see school buses out and about two hours earlier than usual.
1:13 PM NOTE: More on the Microsoft meeting tomorrow – the city has issued this alert:
Tomorrow, September 26, Microsoft will hold its Annual Company Meeting at the Key Arena from 10 a.m. to approximately 4 p.m. Some 15,000 attendees, traveling via 200 buses and 4,000 private vehicles, are expected to begin arriving at 8:30 a.m. and start leaving at roughly 4 p.m. The Seattle Department of Transportation advises motorists driving in the area surrounding the Seattle Center to anticipate heavy congestion in the morning and afternoon and allow for extra travel time.
(WSB photo, added Wednesday morning)
The DESC homeless-housing building at 5444 Delridge Way is three-fourths complete, DESC executive director Bill Hobson told its Advisory Committee tonight when they met at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Hobson says it’s expected to be complete in November, with residents starting to move in near year’s end, two and a half years after the $14 million plan was first disclosed to neighborhood advocates.
Asked by committee member Dorsol Plants how the residents will be chosen, Hobson said they will use DESC’s standard procedure (described in part in the project FAQ). He also announced that they’ve hired a building manager from within DESC, Levi Dineson. He and his to-be-hired staff will handle the process of choosing residents, who will be moved in groups of 15 to 20 until the 66-studio-apartment building is full. Hobson said the manager’s job also will include neighborhood outreach and participation in the North Delridge Neighborhood Council. One decision yet to be made – a permanent name for the building, currently dubbed Delridge Supportive Housing. The committee discussed the possibility of using a relevant local geographic term as part of the name – such as Longfellow, Findlay (the nearest east-west street), or Cottage Grove. The name will be chosen at the next DESC Board of Directors’ meeting.
They’re starting rehearsals a little later in the fall than usual, but the West Seattle Community Orchestras are excited as ever to welcome new and returning musicians when everything gets going two weeks from today – here’s the announcement:
The West Seattle Community Orchestras, WSCO, will be opening the fall rehearsal season on Tuesday, October 8th (delayed 2 weeks from earlier plans), with Orchestras at 3 levels, Beginning Classes for Adults in strings, winds and percussion, and Small Ensembles for upper-level musicians.
Community members young and old are invited to participate; students always participate without charge. Orchestra levels range from those just beginning, with one year or more of experience, to accomplished musicians. Each group participates in at least one performance per season.
Rehearsals will begin at Chief Sealth International High School on Tuesday, October 8th. For more information: WSCOrchestras.org
The school is at 2600 SW Thistle.
Score’s in from this afternoon’s big girls-soccer crosstown-rivalry match at Southwest Athletic Complex – West Seattle High School 1, Chief Sealth International High School 0.
WSHS’s powerhouse twins had a big role in the win. Katie DuLong scored the goal with an assist from Annie Murphy; Sarah DuLong shut down the Seahawks as the Wildcats’ goalie. Next up, according to the Metro League calendar, WSHS is on the road against Franklin, 3:30 pm Thursday at Genesee Park/Playfield; one day later, on Friday, same time, same place, same team for Sealth.
#1 – EARLY DISMISSAL DAY: Tomorrow (Wednesday, September 25) is the first Seattle Public Schools district-wide early-dismissal day of the year – two hours early.
#2 – ONLY WEST SEATTLE MEETING ON ‘GROWTH BOUNDARIES’ PROPOSALS: One week ago, we covered the district’s release of proposals for boundary changes, program locations, and in some cases certain school buildings’ futures. Here’s our comprehensive report on all that. Your one chance for in-person feedback in West Seattle is TOMORROW night, 6:30 pm, West Seattle High School Commons (3000 California SW).
**SERIES LOCATION/TITLE HAVE CHANGED – SEE UPDATED STORY**
We’ve mentioned this in side notes in book-related stories in recent days, but finally have a chance now to share the full announcement! The Southwest Seattle Historical Society, South Seattle Community College‘s Northwest Wine Academy, and Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village are co-sponsoring a series of events with local authors and award-winning wines. For those who like to plan ahead, the entire 9-month schedule is out. The series, “Words, Wine, and West Seattle,” is planned for the first Friday of each of the next nine months, October 4th through June 6th, 4-6 pm at the NWA on the north side of the SSCC campus, admission free (donations accepted for SWSHS and/or NWA).
Above, from left, are the first three West Seattle authors you’ll see in the series:
*Stephanie Guerra, Friday, October 4th
*Peter Stekel, Friday, November 1st
*Nicole Hardy, Friday, December 6th
See the full lineup on the SWSHS website – or in the scrollable flyer below:
Words, Wine, and West Seattle: The lineup
NWA is on the north side of the SSCC campus, 6000 16th SW.
(WSB photo from 2012 Beat the Burn)
Just got a reminder on behalf of Port of Seattle Firefighters, who are presenting the Beat the Burn benefit 5K run/walk (and kids’ dash) in West Seattle again this year – coming up this Sunday, 9 am, this time with the start/finish line at Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza:
The 5K is open to all runners, walkers, firefighters and family members of all ages. Well-behaved leashed best friends welcome too. This year 5K runners will run with firefighters. The event features a kids’ area, beer garden, and healthy snacks compliments of Whole Foods Market and Talking Rain. Participants take home a commemorative sports bag and an opportunity to win $4,200 in prizes (gift cards, theatre tickets, harbor cruise and more).
Beat the Burn and the perennial “Boot Drive” support Camp Eyabsut, which provides a unique camp experience for burn survivors ages 7-17. Special thanks to the Port of Seattle Fire Department /Local 1257 and Washington State Council of Fire Fighters Burn Foundation for their leadership.
Sign up online by Friday night at 11:59 pm – note that the kids’ dash is free!
Before we get to six reader reports received this morning/last night: Checking the SPD crime map, we noticed a Monday morning armed street robbery we hadn’t heard about previously, so we sought details from SPD media relations. From the brief report they sent in reply:
A woman reported a man approached her around 6:25 am Monday at a bus stop at 46th SW and Admiral Way, showed a handgun, and demanded her purse. He ran away southbound on 46th with the victim’s purse and laptop. The report describes him as white or Hispanic, late 20s/early 30s, under 6 feet tall, medium build, dark clothing, gray baseball cap, mask or bandana over his face. Police searched but could not find him.
Now, the six reader reports, all property crimes – read on for details of what’s been reported and where:
You’ve probably heard that Mayor McGinn went public on Monday with his city-budget proposal for next year. Now, it’s in the hands of the City Council for reviews, tweaks, additions, subtractions, etc. Not everything in it that would affect West Seattle specifically MENTIONS West Seattle – but we’re going through it right now and looking for specifics, and will publish “budget bits” notes here and there as we find them. For starters, from the proposed transportation budget:
In 2015, SDOT will use $1,450,000 of REET II funds to build sidewalks at the following locations:
• 35th Avenue Southwest between Southwest 104th Street and Southwest 106th Street to complete the sidewalk network on 35th between Southwest Roxbury Street and Southwest 106th Street;
• 21st Avenue Southwest between Southwest Dawson Street and 22nd Avenue Southwest to provide a connection between two non-arterial segments of the proposed 21st Avenue Southwest neighborhood greenway; and,
• Southwest Barton Street/Place and 24th Avenue Southwest to improve access to a transit center and shopping at Westwood Village.
The funding source, REET, stands for real-estate excise tax. More budget bits as we find them! And if you’d like to say something about this or anything else in the budget – or that you think SHOULD BE in the budget – two public hearings are coming up October 3rd and 24th; details on the council’s budget-process home page. They’re also taking e-mail feedback at council@seattle.gov.
(WSB photo of bee-loved blooms at Emma Schmitz Overlook, photographed last Saturday)
What’s up? Some of the answers for today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
STORY TIMES: 10:30 am Toddler Story Time at West Seattle Branch Library (2306 42nd SW); 11:30 am Baby Story Time at Southwest Branch Library (35th/Henderson).
FOR THE LOVE OF CHEESE: 11 am-2 pm, go see the cheesemaking team at Metropolitan Market-Admiral (WSB sponsor) make mozzarella, as part of the ongoing For the Love of Cheese celebration. (41st/42nd/Admiral)
CROSSTOWN-RIVALRY SOCCER: West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School‘s girls-varsity soccer teams face off at 4 pm today, Southwest Athletic Complex. (2801 SW Thistle)
‘SCHOOL YOUR PARENTS’ AT THE LIBRARY: 5:30 pm, families are welcome to come find out how much Delridge Branch Library can help with homework, studying, researching, more, at the “School Your Parents” event, explained in our calendar listing. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
WEST SEATTLE TRANSIT COALITION: Fight for the right to get where you’re going via bus. Grass-roots coalition launch meeting 6:30 pm, Neighborhood House’s High Point Center – agenda preview in our story from Monday. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
DESC PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE: As the new 66-unit “supportive housing” complex gets close to completion on Delridge Way, the advisory committee meets again, with updates on the project (noted in our preview), 6:30 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
BLOCK WATCH CAPTAINS NETWORK: Learn about “Smart 911” at this month’s meeting – you don’t have to be a Block Watch captain (or even member) to attend; details on the WSBWCN website. Southwest Precinct meeting room, 6:30 pm. (Delridge/Webster)
CANCER-FIGHTING FUNDRAISER: Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) hosts a Tuesday Tune-Up event to benefit the Brosio-Hamasaki-Stein Guild – explained in our calendar listing. (1936 Harbor SW)
Lots MORE nightlife on our calendar!
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
Traffic watch begins for Tuesday, and we have two road-work projects to mention:
6000 BLOCK OF BEACH DRIVE: Now that the slope repair is done, the long-rutted road is being ground down and repaved as promised. The city now says the work is expected to run 7 am-7 pm today and tomorrow. One lane will be kept open for traffic, alternating directions with the help of a flagger.
SOUTH DELRIDGE REPAVING: The final stage of this year-long project is now under way, restricting traffic from Henderson to Roxbury. (Follow that link to see the detour map.)
WEST SEATTLE TRANSIT COALITION TONIGHT: 6:30 pm, the launch meeting of a peninsula-wide advocacy group – location and agenda info here.
(If you can’t see the embedded photos, click here to see them on Instagram’s site)
Note the red Hiawatha Volleyball shirts worn by the second group of girls in this two-part photo posted on Instagram by the UW Volleyball program last Friday night – thanks to Bri’Anna for sending us the link, and reporting:
Coach Al invited his 10-11 Hiawatha Community Center volleyball team (and their families) out to watch the UW Volleyball team play Cal State Northridge (Friday) night. It has been an exciting evening! He is an awesome coach and SPS bus driver. He’s been coaching for over 10 years and it shows. The entire first game was used to explain hits, scoring, positioning, and more! These girls are lucky to have him!
Want to cheer them on? We asked about upcoming games, and Coach Al himself sent this list:
9/24 5:30 @ Rainier CC
10/3 5:30 @ Jefferson Gym
10/10 5:30 Queen Anne Gym
10/14 5:30 Hiawatha
10/21 5:30 Hiawatha
Whether you want to cheer or know someone who wants to play, keep an eye on local city-run community centers’ seasonal brochures – here’s the one for fall – for info on both leagues and drop-in programs, in a variety of sports.
After eleven months of construction, the DESC building at 5444 Delridge Way SW, intended to house more than 60 people who otherwise would be homeless, is a few months from completion. If you are interested in an update and/or have questions about what’s happening as it gets closer to opening, the project’s Advisory Committee is meeting tomorrow night – 6:30 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW) – and the agenda is on the project website.
That site north of Morgan Junction at 5911 42nd SW (map), once suggested for possible city purchase as open space, now has a development proposal in the works. County records show the site is owned by the nearby West Seattle Church of the Nazarene, and according to Department of Planning and Development online files, it’s proposed for six townhouses on the west side of the parcel, across an alley from multifamily housing and business properties that front California SW.
There’s a twist: The 18,000-square-foot site is zoned as three single-family-home lots, so rezoning to LR-1 (lowrise 1, allowing three stories) is proposed to allow the townhomes, each of which would have a 2-car garage, according to the site plan on file. The project page on the DPD website describes the project as a “contract” rezone – meaning permission would be sought for a rezone just for this purpose – and mentions that the plan would include “… PUDA agreement to provide remainder of land as public open space.” (PUDA is short for Property Use and Development Agreement, explained here along with contract rezones.)
This is a brand-new proposal; the city page also mentions a “pre-application site visit” just this past Friday. Rezone proposals require City Council approval, so this would have a ways to go in public process before final approval. We have a message out to the church in hopes of finding out more, especially about the open-space component, and will update with whatever we find out.
QUADRATO: Four months after unveiling his plan, proprietor Cary Kemp says the sandwich/pizza/coffee shop at 4304 SW Oregon between Brunette Mix (WSB sponsor) and Many Moons is close to opening – likely either next Monday (September 30th) or the Monday after that (October 7th). We dropped by the cozy shop for photos today.
You might also have noticed Quadrato’s neon sign (upper left of photo above) that’s up – smaller than the one at Kemp’s other eatery, Pizzeria 22. Quadrato does have a website – quadrato.co. The menu, says Kemp, is in final development.
BRICKYARD: We’ve received a few tips about activity at the long-shuttered Brickyard BBQ location in The Admiral District (2308 California SW). And evidence suggests it is indeed getting set to reopen:
The flyer posted on its locked gate is a liquor-license application under the name Milo’s Brickyard Grill. One of our tipsters, Eric, says he talked with people there working in the space who said they’re hoping to open within a week or so, depending on when the license is granted. Nobody there when we went by for a photo but we’ll check back.
Tunnel-digging – which resumed today – is NOT all that’s happening along the Highway 99 corridor nearest us. The photo above, shared by WSDOT on the WSB Flickr page, shows what’s being dug next to the tunnel machine’s launch pit south of what’s left of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. This site will hold the South Portal Operations Building for the tunnel, explained by WSDOT: “The building – along with a similar one at the tunnel’s future north portal – will house the equipment needed for the safe operation of the tunnel, including emergency generators, ventilation fans and parking space for maintenance vehicles.”
This project is part of what the combined Stakeholders Groups were briefed about last Tuesday. We cover those quarterly-or-so briefings when we can, because they are usually chock full of news about road projects affecting us, but this time it was in direct conflict with the big Seattle Public Schools announcement – so we weren’t there. However, the presentation from the meeting is online now, and if you want a quick update on what’s up, the toplines include:
*Findings on another tunnel-tolling scenario (page 4)
*More on the aforementioned South Portal building and the Atlantic St. overpass (page 8)
*Progress report on the Highway 99 timber bridge project south of the WS Bridge (page 50)
One hour a day, one day a week – can you spare that to tutor a student? Invest in Youth needs tutors for Roxhill Elementary in West Seattle (and four others listed below if you work off the peninsula) –
Here’s your opportunity to give back. For one hour, just once a week on your way home from work, you can go into a nearby Seattle grade school and tutor a child who needs a little extra help with his or her studies. Invest in Youth is looking for additional tutors for the 2013 – 2014 school year.
Participating in Invest in Youth requires a tutoring commitment of one hour per week (with several holidays) for the duration of the school year. Upon joining the program, you will be paired with an elementary school student in 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th grade and work with that same student for the entire year, getting to know their strengths and weaknesses while tracking their progress from week to week. It is an extremely rewarding experience for both students and their tutors!
(Thanks to Dave in Admiral for sharing the rainbow – spotted just as the Seahawks game wrapped up)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and the WSB inbox:
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL: South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) begins its fall semester today.
BUDGET SPEECHES: It’s budget season for local elected officials and the big events happen today – at 11 am, King County Executive Dow Constantine announces his, and at 2 pm, Mayor Mike McGinn announces his. Details to follow.
LIVE A HEART-HEALTHY LIFE: Free presentation by nationally known health/lifestyle expert Joe Piscatella at The Kenney (WSB sponsor), 3 pm. Details in our calendar listing. (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW)
THOUGHTS ON SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY’S FUTURE? City Librarian Marcellus Turner comes to West Seattle Branch Library tonight for a community conversation, 5:30-6:45 pm. Details in our calendar listing. (2306 42nd SW)
DELRIDGE GROCERY: As the announcement e-mail from Delridge Grocery puts it:
Your next, in-person opportunity to become a member/owner of Delridge’s future co-op grocery store is in (tonight). Please meet us at the Delridge branch of the Public Library at 5423 Delridge Way SW on Monday, September 23rd between 6:30 and 7:30pm to sign up with your cash, check or credit card.
Volunteers! If you are interested in helping to get our information out, if you have expressed interest in the past to help, or if you just want more general information this meeting is for you. We will have volunteer packets and general information ready for you to share with your friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Our t-shirts are also available for a reduced seasonal price of $10! Come get yours!
STAR ANNA @ EASY STREET: With a new album out, the acclaimed Star Anna performs a free in-store concert tonight at 7 pm at Easy Street Records – details on the ESR website. (California/Alaska)
As we reminded in today’s traffic-watch report, tomorrow’s the launch meeting for the West Seattle Transit Coalition, a grass-roots-born peninsula-wide voice to advocate for this area’s needs in a time of development, redevelopment, and other changes. Organizers have just shared the agenda, and in case you were worried about it being a “sit down and listen” type of meeting, this might reassure you that you’ll have a voice – read on:
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
First full day of fall, and we have a road-work reminder:
DELRIDGE REPAVING PROJECT’S FINAL PHASE: As announced two weeks ago, today is the scheduled start of the final phase of the almost-year-long repaving project, Henderson to Roxbury. Here’s the detour map:
Also:
FERRY SCHEDULE/FARE CHANGES: The Fauntleroy run is among those affected by the state’s fall schedule/fare changes, which kicked in Sunday.
WEST SEATTLE TRANSIT COALITION TOMORROW: Another reminder that this new advocacy group has its launch meeting tomorrow (Tuesday), 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center – details in our preview.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
West Seattle’s two highest-ranking Seattle Police crimefighters are making the neighborhood rounds.
This Thursday, Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Joe Kessler and operations Lt. Pierre Davis are scheduled to brief a Fauntleroy Community Association-organized crime-prevention meeting (as previewed here).
This past week, we heard from both at the Alki Community Council, and from Lt. Davis at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, which, because its originally scheduled guests had been postponed, turned into a lengthy Q/A session.
Ahead, key points from both meetings:
A new West Seattle-wide effort to preserve and advocate for open space – as a balance to “high-density development” – is in its formative stage, we learned from Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council reps tabling outside the Farmers’ Market today.
The spark is the current Seattle City Light process to decide the fate of former substation sites, including six West Seattle properties. GSNC is advocating in particular for the open-space prospects of the one at 49th and Dakota. But they believe the entire multi-site process should be put on hold until the community has a chance to try to rally resources to keep at least some of the sites as open space. Today, they were collecting signatures on a petition asking City Light and the City Council to delay decisions until at least 2015. And they’re forming the West Seattle Green Space Coalition to advance this cause and related issues – here’s how it was explained atop the petition sheets:
There are two dates coming up soon that you’ll want to make note of, if you’re interested in fighting for green space:
-Next Saturday (September 28th), a formation meeting for the Green Space Coalition, 4:30 pm. (We’re verifying the location and will update the story with final word – update, High Point Branch Library, 35th/Raymond.)
-October 2nd, 6:30 pm at High Point Community Center, the official city public hearing on the ex-substation sites’ fate. (Here’s what GSNC wrote about this earlier.)
| 8 COMMENTS