West Seattle, Washington
20 Wednesday
Judging by the number of people we see looking through the fence whenever we visit The Junction during the daytime, the 88-apartment, 14-live-work-unit 4730 California mixed-use project – aka the former Petco site – is quite the spectacle. The crane base is in now, almost three months after demolition/excavation began – our photo was taken before today’s concrete pour – so we asked the project team when the crane is going to arrive. The answer: One week from tomorrow – Saturday, September 14th. Assuming nothing happens to change the schedule, that means the crane will be up before the West Seattle Car Show, which – as noted here previously – is planned for the next day, Sunday, September 15th. 4730 California pis expected to be finished late next year.
Karol Fern Sample, gone too soon at age 44, will be remembered with a celebration of life this Sunday. Brad Johnson asked us to share the invitation, which includes some information about her life:
(The celebration is planned) on the lawn just outside Colman Pool in West Seattle this Sunday, 9/8, at 2 o’clock, right after the last noon swim of the outdoor season, where fellow swimmers and others … are asked to make arrangements so that you can join us as we celebrate the life of our dear and recently departed Karol Fern Sample, who, after two courageous years of fighting cancer, moved out into the universe to spread her fairy dust, positive energy, and bigger-than-life smile this past Monday morning, September 2nd.
The idea is for this to be a potluck where we share food, but more importantly to share in the warmth of community with hugs and remembrances of Karol’s short but vital, vibrant life. This near fixture of Lincoln Park, dressed typically in a white or green wool hat with ear flaps, either rode her classic bike or walked daily around the paths surrounding this park and pool, her second home, where she could also keep watch over any stranded seal pups or orcas magically appearing out in the sound. But what many didn’t know was that this very creative, bright shining star was a gifted and highly talented visual artist, a painter.
You’ve seen them at big events like the West Seattle Grand Parade – but you might not realize the Seafair Clowns do a lot of community work too – and that’s what brought them today to West Seattle’s Roxhill Elementary, whose principal Sahnica Washington (top photo) gave them a warm welcome, as did the hundreds of kids to whom they gave out school supplies and backpacks:
The Seafair Clowns’ 9th annual School Supply Giveaway also brought out other community leaders – below, Seattle Police interim Chief Jim Pugel with West Seattle’s own Seafair Clown “Officer Lumpy“:
Seattle Fire Chief Gregory Dean and some of his crew members pitched in too – as did local TV personalities including KING 5’s Lori Matsukawa, below with Chief Dean:
Local sponsors helped make the event possible, too – read more about it here.
Another lightning photo from overnight just came in: “This is looking west toward Blake Island, with transmission tower lights on the Kitsap Peninsula beneath the lightning and the lights from Bremerton reflecting in the clouds on the right,” explains the photographer, Mark Dale. (Thanks again to everyone who’s been sharing photos!) It’s looking a little sunbreaky in West Seattle as we write this – wanted to mention a few events for tonight before it’s too late:
ROTARY ‘FIRST FRIDAY’: 5-7 pm at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), stop by and meet Rotary Club of West Seattle members who are gathering for a good time and a good cause (charity benefit/awareness-raising TBA). Details in our calendar listing. (6451 California SW)
‘ENDLESS SUMMER’ CORNER BAR IN HIGHLAND PARK: The Highland Park Improvement Club‘s monthly Corner Bar is back, all ages 6-9 pm, 21+ after 9 pm, live music, beverages, more. Details in our calendar listing. (12th/Holden)
ROSH HASHANAH: Kol HaNeshamah (WSB sponsor) has evening events beginning with Tot Shabbat at 6:15 pm – more details on the KHN website.
HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL: The season begins! Both of tonight’s games involving local schools are away games – Chief Sealth International High School (above, WSB photo of practice this week) visits White Center’s Evergreen High School, 8 pm; West Seattle High School (below, WSB photo of practice this week) is at Fife, 7 pm.
More events for today/tonight (and far beyond) can be found on our calendar!
Thanks to West Seattle Bike Connections president Don Brubeck for sharing photos from the Bike/Truck Safety Fair early this morning at Terminal 25 off East Marginal Way. T-25 is close to the scene of the May 1st bike/truck collision that killed a rider. Don reports:
Rain let up, and we had a good turnout. Very informative for cyclists to ride in a semi and experience the turning radii, mirror blind spots and stopping distance these truckers need. Great conversations between cyclists, truck drivers, Port of Seattle, SDOT, and BNSF representatives.
We really appreciate the work of Port of Seattle Transportation Planner Christine Wolf and public affairs representative Mick Schultz, and others from the Port in making this happen. Great to have Dongho Chang, Chief Traffic Engineer, Monica Dewald, and Jim Curtin there from SDOT. Our group had 7 volunteers staffing the event, and Cascade Bicycle Club sent Robin Randells, education trainer. Truck drivers Teo and Warren Aakervik were great.
The city is planning more improvements to the area by November, as updated here August 13th.
What a night! The photos above are courtesy of Illex Photography – taken six seconds apart, the second during lightning that, the photographer says, “turned night into day.” Now the question many are asking: When will the rain stop? While the National Weather Service still has a “flood watch” in effect for our area until 6 tonight, after that, the rain is supposed to ease, in time for the weekend.
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
6:03 AM: The downpour started before midnight – which means a potentially problematic morning commute. We’ll keep very close watch on this one. And an alert for tonight, assuming the weather doesn’t cancel the expansion-joint work – the ramp from northbound I-5 to the West Seattle Bridge is scheduled to close all weekend again, along with two adjacent ramps, 7 pm tonight until early Monday morning.
7:15 AM: WSDOT says that overall, the commute’s slow but “no massive backups” anywhere.
7:29 AM: If you’re bicycling this morning, the bike/truck Safety Fair is still on at Terminal 25 (East Marginal just north of Spokane) so far as we know, scheduled until 8:30 am.
(Photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand, added 9:30 am)
8:02 AM: If you’ve watched TV news this morning, you’ve likely seen a big sinkhole mistakenly reported as being in the Burien area – it’s just south of South Park, vicinity of S. 96th/8th S. Not a major route, but affecting truck traffic, says KING 5, which reported that the sinkhole is in a spot that had been repaired months ago, and then was weakened by the overnight deluge.
9:30 AM: Went over to check out the road sinkhole. The county has no idea when it’ll be fixed, but S. 96th is blocked in that spot TFN.
12:03 PM: Just in case you’d heard about this closure on 99 north of downtown – we’re passing along word that SDOT says, never mind:
The Seattle Department of Transportation announces the cancellation of the Sept. 6-7 closure of northbound SR 99 and Mercer Street due to impacts from rainy weather and availability of materials. A full closure of northbound SR 99 and Mercer Street is tentatively rescheduled for mid-September. Further information including closure dates will be provided as the work is confirmed.
One of this weekend’s biggest events in Seattle is a new event – the San Gennaro Festival. It’s happening in Georgetown – but the family behind it is from West Seattle, and wants to make sure you know you’re welcome! Angela Mascio contacted WSB to share that news, explaining:
We started a non-profit foundation called the San Gennaro Foundation of Seattle, which is planning the first annual San Gennaro Festival of Seattle to be held in Georgetown Sept 7th and 8th. It’s going to be a great festival with authentic Italian food, music, and wine :) There will be a kids’ area with different activities throughout the day. We chose the Puget Sound Blood Center to receive any proceeds from this first festival, and we’re also having a blood drive to celebrate the blood miracle of Saint Gennaro.
This festival began in New York as a way for immigrants to celebrate their culture. Today, that festival is about two weeks long and they close down all of Little Italy in New York. Many other major US cities have followed suite and have San Gennaro festivals, so we decided it was about time for one in Seattle.
10 am-10 pm Saturday and 10 am-6 pm Sunday, South Angelo Street in Georgetown will be closed for the festival. It’s where her family first started their businesses, and they still own a building there, Angela explained:
About 50ish years ago, my grandparents and my father and two of his sisters came over from Italy. My grandmother missed the fresh pasta from her father’s pasta company back in Italy, so she started making it in her basement. It grew into a business and their first location was on South Angelo Street in Georgetown. Mascio’s Pasta grew and my dad took it over eventually. It grew more, he sold his shares, and started his own company, again in Georgetown first (San Gennaro Foods, we manufacture Polenta). We’re currently in Kent.
Angela shared this link to her grandfather’s obituary from 1990. She also says her aunt has a business in Georgetown and revived the “Mascio’s Italian Specialty Foods” name. But enough about history – back to the festival. Here’s the entertainment schedule; here’s a map to the location.
Two nights before their first game of the season, Seattle Lutheran High School‘s football players and cheerleaders were the winners at a benefit dinner tonight. From left in our top photo, head coach Jeff Scott, head of school Dave Meyer, and media personality/entrepreneur Jenni Hogan, who emceed the event. Hogan, a former star rower at the University of Washington, noted that while a student she appreciated athletes coming to speak to her and her teammates, and that’s what she appreciated about tonight’s event, which featured another former Husky athlete, football great Greg Lewis:
Speakers also included former Seahawks player Orlando Huff:
The event, which included fundraising raffles, was held in the Menashe Family Gym on campus:
The menu included this cake, edible all the way down to the football:
Season starts this Saturday night, with the Saints hosting Evergreen Lutheran at West Seattle Stadium, 7 pm.
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
This edition of the WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled in the past several weeks by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?”
*At least one West Seattle business has been struck by the “pay the overdue power bill” scam going around the city. Luckily, the employee became suspicious and called City Light, which confirmed that the company’s bills were up to date and that no payment was necessary (especially to a third party pretending to be a collector).
*On Monday the 2nd, 911 received a call about a man pointing a gun at someone in the 4500 block of Delridge Way. The suspect car was stopped and positively identified in the 6000 block. The driver claimed the incident was the result of road rage — that he had been cut off and “forced to stop” back at the West Seattle Bridge. He also admitted that there was a gun in the car. His passenger was ID’d as the one pointing the gun; his passenger was also his son … and a convicted felon. The 41-year-old Westwood-area resident was booked into King County Jail for investigation of firearms violations.
Five more summaries ahead:Read More
(If you can’t see the Instagram video above, click here to see it there)
4:27 PM: In case you’re wondering if that expected downpour is still on the way – YES, says the National Weather Service. Its latest alert is a “Hazardous Weather Outlook,” predicting heavy rainfall into tonight, possibly up to two inches. Read the alert here. The flood-watch alert remains effect through tomorrow; read the latest version here.
P.S. One weather-related cancellation so far – Schmitz Park Elementary’s Friday night outdoor-movie fundraiser has been canceled because there’s a 90 percent chance of rain; no new date yet.
6:18 PM UPDATE: The 15-second Instagram video is from just before 6 pm, south of Alki Point. And just minutes ago, the rain resumed here at HQ in Upper Fauntleroy. We hope this storm will pass trouble-free, but if it gets to the point of trees down, clogged street drains, or anything else people should know about, as with all breaking news, please let us know too, once you’ve alerted authorities – text or call 206-293-6302 any time.
10:59 PM UPDATE: As discussed in comments, the rain’s returned. Thunder and lightning too.
On the fourth day after “Moving Day,” the former site of the “Nickelsville” encampment at 7116 West Marginal Way SW in West Seattle still isn’t clear; the photo above, taken this afternoon, shows the view southeast into the site from what was its parking-lot entrance. However, a chain-link fence went up today around its perimeter, as the city had promised – this view is from that same side, atop the steps:
>
And this view is on the north side, along Highland Park Way SW:
According to the Nickelsville Works Facebook page, the city will allow them access to the site through the end of tomorrow (Friday, September 6th) to clean up and pack up what’s left following the move to three other sites (all shown in our Sunday coverage). Mayoral spokesperson Aaron Pickus confirms that, and tells WSB that once that extension is over, “The City will clean up with the site with the appropriate equipment.”
Meanwhile, the city also continues to post and clear small campsites found in other areas. A resident tipped us to some clearing work in a greenbelt area along California Way between North Admiral and east Alki; it had been posted in July, and the cleanup crew left a big stack of bags Wednesday afternoon:
The city’s approach to smaller campsites continues to follow what was outlined here three years ago, according to Pickus.
(WSB photo from first West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival, October 2012)
Last year, the annual West Seattle Junction Association-presented trick-or-treating event expanded into something new – and wildly popular from the very start: The WS Junction Harvest Festival, closing the street in the heart of The Junction for fun, games, a temporarily relocated Farmers’ Market, *and* trick-or-treating. And WSJA executive director Susan Melrose has just announced they’ll do it again for a second year!
Sunday, October 27th – 10 am – 2 pm
The West Seattle Junction Association is pleased to announce our second annual Harvest Festival. Last year was awesome! This event brought together our community in so many ways. Our weekly farmers market took to the streets with color and flair, our local non-profits and business brought free kids activities and games, the West Seattle High School marching band led hundreds in a costume parade, and Junction brick-and-mortar businesses hosted their long standing Trick-or-Treat event. The costumes were incredible… kudos West Seattle! Let’s do it again!
If you’d like to help make it great:
1. Host a Booth: Have your non-profit, school, business or club host an activity booth.
2. Volunteer: The first shift helps close the streets at 6 am and second shifts helps direct booth hosts at 8 am.
3. Sponsor: While we’re running a low budget and free event with volunteer staff, closing the street is still expensive, and sponsors will help make this event possible.
Details on these ways to get involved are at wsjunction.org. See you there!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
An illuminated messaging signboard is slated to go up on the front of the Madison Middle School gym, six years after the school PTA started pursuing money and approvals for one.
With the school surrounded by single-family homes, the signboard could not be installed without the city granting a zoning “departure” (exception). A group of neighbors’ fight to keep that from being granted has ended; the city Hearing Examiner ruled against their challenge and the neighbors tell WSB in a statement that they are “disheartened and frustrated” but that they will not take it to court. (You can read their full statement later in this story.)
Hearing Examiner Sue Tanner required conditions based on the neighbors’ concerns to be added to the official text of the zoning exception:
(Photo by Don Brubeck)
Before we get too much further into Thursday – seven highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
DISCOVERY SHOP: The American Cancer Society-benefiting thrift shop in The Junction starts its “Division Sale” today, with everything half-price. Open today until 4:30 pm. (4535 California SW)
ROSH HASHANAH WITH KOL HANESHAMAH: Events this morning/afternoon are listed on Kol HaNeshamah (WSB sponsor)’s website.
SEATTLE LUTHERAN FOOTBALL/CHEER FUNDRAISER: NFL and college veteran players are the guest speakers at a 6 pm dinner tonight raising money for the Seattle Lutheran High School football/cheer programs. All welcome – ticket information and other details here. (SLHS gym; 41st/Genesee)
PARKS LEGACY PLAN MEETING: Interested in the process that’s leading up to the next Seattle Parks levy to go to voters? The citizens’ advisory committee meets 6 pm tonight at Parks HQ downtown, starting with a public-comment period as usual; details are on the city’s Parkways site. (100 Dexter Ave. N.)
ROSH HASHANAH WITH WEST SEATTLE TORAH LEARNING CENTER: 8:15 pm prayers followed by dinner, RSVP for location, contact info here.
NORTH HIGHLINE UNINCORPORATED AREA COUNCIL: Just outside West Seattle, but the topics planned for the 7 pm meeting at North Highline Fire District HQ might be of interest to the North Highline area’s northern neighbors – including upcoming health-care changes. See the agenda on the NHUAC website. (1243 SW 112th)
As always, there’s lots more on the calendar, including tonight’s live-music highlights!
(January 2013 photo taken at Westwood Village by Tammy Wooley)
We’ve already previewed the upcoming open house at the Seattle Police Mounted Patrol‘s Highland Park headquarters on September 22nd – and now Sgt. Jim Scott tells us you’ll get a chance to see them even sooner: This Saturday (September 7th), they’ll be at Daystar Retirement Village (2615 SW Barton, across from the south side of Westwood Village) 12:30-2:30 pm, and then at WV itself, in the east parking lot near Starbucks, 2:45-4:15 pm. (We’ve noted Westwood sightings in the past – like the one in the photo above – as the horses are taken out to be acclimatized to people and places, but never before with advance notice.)
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
6:14 AM: Today, most schools will be settled down to their routines. But the rain is back as of this writing – and we’re hearing thunder, too – so drive carefully! (The flood-watch alert kicks in at noon.) Two road-work notes: The eastbound SW Orchard closure between Sylvan and Delridge continues; see the detour map and details here. And the intersection of Morgan and 42nd is closed.
10:15 AM: Southbound Battery Street Tunnel is closed because of a crash.
1:30 PM: From SDOT:
This afternoon, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., there’ll be a “Tell Scott Walker Not in Our State” protest in downtown Seattle. The protest is being held against the visiting Wisconsin Governor’s stance on labor relations and advocates for workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively. The organizers of the event expect an estimated 1,000 participants. Seattle Police will be on hand to monitor the activities.
The march will close Sixth Avenue between Union and Pike streets adjacent to the Sheraton Hotel. The approach to the nearby entrance for the northbound I-5 on-ramp at Sixth Avenue and University Street could be impacted, as well as adjoining streets including Fifth and Fourth avenues when traffic begins diverting off of Sixth. The Seattle Department of Transportation advises motorists to plan ahead to avoid this potential disruption to the afternoon commute.
Thanks to everybody who answered our call to share Back To School photos from the past two days! First one, above, is from Leighellen: “I thought I’d share my 3 boys … one of which is less than thrilled with this ritual!! Luke (3rd grade) & Jacoby (5th grade) attend Hope Lutheran School. Zac (10th grade) goes to Seattle Lutheran High School.” Next, Pathfinder K-8 7th grader Pride, quoted as saying “It will be a year of skirts”:
“The Bear Boys,” an Arbor Heights Elementary 5th grader and Denny International Middle School 7th grader, struck a pose:
Kahina started third grade at Hope Lutheran this week:
Here’s Grayson:
Amy says, “West Seattle High School sophomores Shea and Irina have started school together every year since kindergarten!”
From Jen: “Here’s big brother Theo (3rd grade) and little brother Nate (kindergarten) heading off to Schmitz Park”:
At Holy Rosary on the first day of school Tuesday, here are Elena, Morgan, Veronica, Grace, and Lizzie:
Dylan started pre-K at Westside School (WSB sponsor):
Here’s Lexi starting third grade at Gatewood Elementary:
Atticus is now in 2nd grade at Lafayette Elementary:
At Schmitz Park Elementary, 4th graders Rhiannon and Cassidy:
It’s the second year at K-5 STEM for fifth-grader Max and second-grader Sam:
Chloe‘s a first-grader now!
Thanks to Alice for the next photo:
Sophie is new at K-5 STEM:
Karin‘s guys are both at Lafayette – a kindergartener and third-grader:
Susan explains, “Grace had her LAST first day of elementary school (Wednesday)”:
In the next photo, says Christine, is her “kindergarten kid Sarah with her school cone and the STEM school mascot Owl. Btw, the big cone is filled with candy and small toys (German tradition).”
In the classroom at Schmitz Park, a photo shared by Greg:
Thanks again to all 20 of our photo-sharers! We wish you a successful and pleasant school year … let us know when there’s news to share here with your West Seattle neighbors, from events to achievements and more – editor@westseattleblog.com, and 206-293-6302 (text or voice) when something is urgent.
As Arbor Heights Elementary approaches teardown and rebuild, it had to be reviewed for potential city-landmark status. As originally reported here last month, that review before the Landmarks Board was set for today – and tonight, one of the board’s newest members, Deb Barker of Morgan Junction, mentioned at the Southwest District Council meeting that the board decided unanimously NOT to consider AH for landmark status.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The fall meeting season – after a summer break for many neighborhood/district councils – is off and running, with the Southwest District Council just wrapping up its September meeting, tackling topics from trees to Junction parking/development.
Co-chair Susan Ruppert, from the Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council, led the meeting at Southwest Teen Life Center. Other organizations represented were the Admiral Neighborhood Association, Fairmount Community Association, Fauntleroy Community Association, Junction Neighborhood Organization, Morgan Community Association, the Senior Center of West Seattle, and the West Seattle Junction Association.
What you should know about what was discussed – ahead:
Sorry we didn’t hear about this repaving project in advance, so we couldn’t share a heads-up – just spotted the work this afternoon at 42nd/Morgan north of West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), and then heard from tipster Linda, who provided this scanned copy of a paper notice circulated in the area:
She added, “In passing by tonight, they have the east side of 42nd between Morgan and Fauntleroy completely dug up, a large hole in Morgan street east of 42nd and a third hole on 42nd south of Morgan. They were covering all the holes with plastic when we went by.” We hope to hear more about this from SDOT tomorrow.
Three months after The Kenney (WSB sponsor) announced it was exploring the possibility of “sponsorship” by Wesley Homes, there’s no final decision on that yet, but one change has just been made – a new interim CEO is in charge. Here’s the announcement:
William (Bill) Lange is named as the new interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for The Kenney, effective October 1, 2013. Mr. Lange assumes this interim role at the time that Ed Mawe, current interim CEO, leaves to take a new position with another retirement organization. Mr. Mawe is an employee of Ontrac Management Services and he was hired in July 2012 to act as an interim CEO. Mr. Lange is also an employee of Ontrac and has been working in a supportive operations role with Mr. Mawe, the Kenney board of directors, and staff over the past year.
“Bill is not a new face to the residents and staff at The Kenney,” said Moraine Byrne, President of Ontrac Management Services. She added, “His knowledge of the current operations and the strategic direction of The Kenney make for a smooth transition as Ed leaves to take his new career opportunity.” Mr. Mawe has accepted a position as Chief Operating Officer of Horizon House, a large retirement community located in [downtown] Seattle.
Here’s a round of recent West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports. First, yet another vehicle theft (besides the 2 reported here on Tuesday). From Andy:
Our car was stolen (Monday) night from in front of our home. We live a block off California on 44th, near the West Seattle Nursery. It’s a 1995 black Honda Civic hatchback, license number ACY9729.
(added 4:31 pm) Just got word from Nicole of a burglary today:
Just a heads up to let you know there was a burglary on the 5400 block of 46th SW at around noon today. My parents’ place was broken into while my mom was away for about 20 minutes to run an errand. House was locked.
(back to original report) Kathleen warns of car prowling at Jack Block Park (the incident happened last Thursday night):
…I wanted to let you know my purse was stolen out of my car at Jack Block last night (super quick smash and grab). I really want to report it not only to bring attention to be hyper-vigilant in this area (and not leave your purse in the car — duh) but really, I loved my purse so I am wanting to see if anyone in that area on a walk, etc. saw it. If anyone does see it, if they can let me know, that would be great. (“Roots” brand, tan nice leather “messenger bag” style with long thick strap and 2 pockets.) Hoping they tossed it in the bushes. BTW, I had 3 cards and they tried all 3 at Shell Station on CA and at Delridge Mini Mart. The Port police said it is the same place they have used others, so they think they know who it is.
And bikes both stolen and found – starting with Brianna‘s report of a stolen bike Sunday morning in The Junction:
… My bike was stolen from outside Great Harvest Bakery in the Alaska Junction. It was a 45-46 cm Raleigh women’s Revenio road bike, with it was a bright blue helmet. The bike is mostly black with blue and white details.
Sue is hoping to find her bike stolen 3 weeks ago:
My beautiful blue/black carbon Lemond Zurich T- 04 woman’s road bike was stolen from a secure condo garage along Beach Drive, where it hung bolted and locked on a concrete wall. Serial #WL3149448, registered with the police on 1/14/2005. Blue Bontrager tires, Terry gel saddle, lights, bag, pump, U lock, etc. I rode hundreds of miles in events like Cycle Oregon and loved this bike. It fit me like a glove. Please watch out for it and tell your friends to do the same. Thanks!
Ahead, a found bike and found scooter – might or might not be crime-related – both with photos:
| 3 COMMENTS