West Seattle, Washington
25 Wednesday
With reader reports about bikes found as well as bikes taken, West Seattle Crime Watch has featured more bicycle-theft reports than usual lately (with one even caught on camera). 
And Southwest Precinct‘s Sgt. Joe Bauer confirms to WSB that it’s a heightened concern. How to thwart these thieves? For one, he warns that bicycle owners need “to secure their bicycles in the underground parking garages. We are getting a lot of stolen bike reports that seem to be mainly on Avalon and in the North Admiral and Alki areas. We have had some on Fauntleroy too. I’d like to remind folks that the bikes are not secure just because they are in the garage. Lock them up or, better yet, keep them in another location in the building if possible. If the bike won’t fit in the condo or apartment, folks can always take the seat and front wheel off to make the bike a little less appealing to the thief.”
Checking overnight reports, we see another report from overnight – 1700 block of Alki SW. But not everyone files police reports (checking the report map, we see fewer bike-theft icons than we’d expect, given what we hear about); Sgt. Bauer reiterates the importance of filing a report, and has one more reminder: “Please put identifying information on the bike that can make it easier for us to return it and make it harder for the bad guys to sell the bike.”
Another big day around West Seattle! First item explains the photo:
BIKE TO SCHOOL DAY: Thanks to Anna Coghill for e-mailing to report that Alki Elementary students marked National Bike to School Day by gathering in two spots to ride to school – Anna says, “Students, parents and school staff were all smiles this morning after the Ride Your Bike to School Train organized by Mr. Kegel. He led our Me-Kwa-Mooks train and Principal Oatis led the Anchor Park train.”
Here are other highlights including some of what’s on today’s section of the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (where you’ll find lots more);
ANOTHER DAY FOR SHRIMP FISHING: We’re already getting questions about “what are all those boats fishing for?” The answer: As mentioned here last weekend, today is a second opportunity for spot-shrimp fishing on Elliott Bay.
COOKING COMPETITION AT WSHS – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: Today’s the day a celebrity chef is expected at West Seattle High School to judge a cooking competition (first reported here last month) involving ProStart culinary students who are part of a national competition. WSHS confirms that for the outdoor events in the competition, the public is welcome – it all starts at 1:30 pm. (3000 California SW)
FREE WORKSHOP: Learn how to preserve family collections of photos and artwork in a free 3-5 pm workshop at the Senior Center of West Seattle. (California/Oregon)
COMMUNITY CONVERSATION FOR GENESEE HILL SCHOOL PROJECT: Today’s the date to which a “community conversation” about the new elementary school at Genesee Hill was moved – 6:30 pm at Schmitz Park Elementary. (5000 SW Spokane)
CANDIDATE FORUM AT 34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS’ MEETING: Not the candidates for mayor- the 34th DDs were co-sponsors of the big forum a week and a half ago (WSB coverage, with video, here) – but candidates from many other races have RSVPd. Chair Marcee Stone-Vekich shared an update on the meeting’s agenda and who’ll be there – ahead, what happens after 6:30 pm “meet and greet”:
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
6:03 AM: As the day begins, we have a question for you, transit-related: Later this morning, we’re scheduled to sit down for an interview with Metro Transit general manager Kevin Desmond, as the county steps up its campaign contending that Metro is in the fight of its life, facing more cuts if the Legislature doesn’t take some steps to help alleviate its funding crisis. Is there a question you would ask him if you had the chance? If so, post it in the comment section – we’re going to do our best to get to as many reader questions as we can. P.S. Whether you have a question or not, you’re invited to speak to a County Council committee next Tuesday – details here along with a way to comment online if you can’t be there in person.
7:48 AM: As noted in comments, there’s a crash on the eastbound bridge. If you haven’t left yet – alternative routes, or waiting, would be a good idea.
7:56 AM: Because of the crash, SDOT has switched the views on the bridge cameras – the one atop this story usually looks eastward – here’s the one that usually looks west:
8:20 AM: Eugene says in comments that the scene is clear; hard to tell from the cameras, and there’s been no official announcement. Also in comments, Trickycoolj warns that Holden is backed up in Highland Park – a popular alternate access to get to northbound 99.
8:59 AM: Shortly after that last update, SDOT did tweet that the crash scene had been cleared. The backup always takes longer to clear but we’re hopeful it’s getting back to the “normal” slowness now.
Proud dad Don Freitas e-mailed to share the announcement from Chief Sealth International High School that his son Christian Freitas is about to represent Sealth and the entire citywide district in international athletic competition: He’s a Special Olympics soccer athlete who will be playing at the Special Olympics Central American and Caribbean Unified Football Tournament in Costa Rica tomorrow through May 17th. He and his teammates, fellow Special Olympians as well as Sounders FC development players, will be competing in regional pro-soccer stadiums in San José, Costa Rica, with 12 other teams. The tournament is a regional qualifying event along the path to the Special Olympics Unified Cup in Rio next year. Christian is a member of the Sealth Unified Soccer team, for which his dad Don is a coach. Updates from Costa Rica are expected via this website.
A house fire on 28th SW a few blocks south of Roxbury, next to Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor). is under investigation this morning. The house is just north of the campus, separated by a driveway and embankment, so there was no damage at the school. The fire started after 11 pm; the incident commander from North Highline Fire District told us nobody was home at the time, and nobody was hurt. A county fire investigator arrived on the scene while we were there and started working to find out how the fire started.
West Seattle’s newest neighborhood council – launched in February – has chosen leaders and set priorities, meeting tonight for the 4th time. Thanks to Joe Szilagyi – the Westwood/Roxhill/Arbor Heights Community Council‘s newly chosen secretary – for sharing notes from the meeting. You can read them in their entirety here. Toplines:
Leadership chosen for the group’s first year – in addition to Szilagyi as secretary, chair Amanda Helmick and a to-be-filled treasurer’s position.
The neighborhoods’ principal areas of concern were outlined as: Metro Transit; SDOT, safety, and infrastructure improvements; community outreach; crime; business outreach. They’ll be looking for members for committees focused on the community, city infrastructure, Metro issues, and group leadership.
There’s a more-detailed list of topics in the full meeting notes – which, again, are here. The council also plans to work on setting up a website at wwrhah.org, which currently redirects to the Facebook group that’s been the hub of WWRHAH online discussion in the early going. And Metro will be the central topic for its next meeting; WWRHAH meets on the first Tuesday of the month, so that will be June 4th, more details to come.
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
6:42 PM: At a time when most people riding their bicycles on the low bridge are headed westbound for home, dozens were eastbound this evening, riding in memory of Lance David. He’s the 54-year-old Federal Way man killed last Wednesday morning when his bike collided with a semi-truck on East Marginal Way, along the route so many West Seattle riders take toward the port and downtown. The deadly crash has brought both mourning and calls for action, and SDOT is evaluating the area to see what safety measures can be taken relatively quickly. Local bicycling/safety advocates from West Seattle Bike Connections and West Seattle Greenways organized tonight’s ride to both honor a fellow rider and emphasize the urgent need for safety improvements.
(More of Christopher’s photos added 7:36 pm)
ADDED: WSB’s Christopher Boffoli reports that the participants included Mayor McGinn and Councilmember Tom Rasmussen.
Seattle Police bicycle officers also accompanied the riders:
City Bicycle Advisory Board member Jodi Connolly of West Seattle participated too, and spoke at the site where the crash happened:
The board regularly meets on first Wednesdays, which meant its May meeting was hours after the deadly crash, discussed several times that night, as we reported afterward.
5:03 PM: Seattle Fire crews have evacuated Southwest Pool and Teen Life Center because of what was dispatched as a hazardous-materials situation.
5:08 PM UPDATE: It’s described on the scanner as a suspected chlorine leak. Traffic is also blocked off in the area to keep people away until crews have it under control, so avoid SW Thistle.
No word of any injuries at this point – medic crews are there but we’re not seeing any patients.
5:19 PM UPDATE: Co-publisher Patrick Sand confirms at the scene that it was a spill/leak of pool chlorine. Hazmat crews are in the building plan to test the air quality. And yes, this is why there’s at least two TV choppers overhead.
5:34 PM UPDATE: Fire crews report via radio communications that so far, they indeed do NOT have anyone with symptoms/injuries. The tank that had a leak/spill problem is described as at least 150 gallons. They’re still working to stabilize the situation.
5:48 PM UPDATE: Southwest Pool and Teen Life Center tells us all lessons and other activities for the rest of tonight are canceled. Too soon to tell about tomorrow. Meantime, Seattle Fire tells us that the chemical is not chlorine itself but is used to treat the pool water. Staffers smelled the leak, which apparently had been going on for a few hours before noticed, then called 911 and got out of the building. Again, SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore confirms, no injuries, no one requesting treatment. (added, here’s our video of his briefing)
SFD is likely to be on site at least a few hours because this kind of situation requires careful processing in the “better safe than sorry” mode. Thistle is still blocked off and buses are affected by this; Metro is trying to get them through the SWAC parking lot to reroute.
6:12 PM UPDATE: Seattle Fire now says the building tests “clean.” Seattle Parks says it could reopen as soon as 7 pm but lessons are still canceled for the rest of tonight. Seattle Police have just announced (via scanner) that SW Thistle is reopening.
6:46 PM UPDATE: Matt Richardson from SW Pool sends word the pool will remain CLOSED TONIGHT, then will reopen tomorrow for normal operations. People whose lessons were canceled tonight will get credits on their accounts.
Four days until 280 garage sales blanket the peninsula during the biggest-ever West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day – this Saturday, May 11, 2013, the ninth annual WSCGSD (and the sixth one coordinated/presented by us here at WSB). We launched the main map version – online, zoomable, clickable, explorable – back on Saturday, and have just added the link to the “printable” list of sales (which also has screengrabs of the map, in sections). Find them both here. And if you’re ready to start talking about what you’re selling – or what you’re most interested in buying – conversations have been launched on the WSCGSD Facebook page; check the “posts by others” section here. That page and the official WSCGSD website are where we’ll be posting extra info and updates up until and during sale day.
A storefront in Fauntleroy has been vacated – but its former longtime occupant has NOT gone out of business. Here’s the announcement we received from photographer Gail Ann:
You may have noticed that after a decade “Gail Ann has left the building.”
Gail Ann opened her photography studio some 11 years ago after noticing a for rent sign in the brown brick building known as the Fauntleroy Shopping Center just up from the Fauntleroy Ferry dock. Locals could always find entertainment value in her window displays featuring local families. Many of you have been photographed by her at the Fauntleroy Fall Festival where she has volunteered her services since its inception or seen her at local auction events capturing candids for posterity.
Says Gail Ann “The studio may be closed but I’m open for business! I’ll be on a short hiatus traveling through Poland. I’ll be back to work in June and look forward to working with all of you again.”
Gail Ann can still be reached at 206-371-0585 or by visiting her blog.
(SPD deputy chief Nick Metz with the mayor; January photo by Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times, republished with permission)
The city has announced what will be done with some of the metal from guns obtained in the January city “buyback” – it’ll be turned into plaques. The inscriptions for those plaques will come from a contest for children called “Weapons to Words,” explained in the city announcement:
Today Mayor Mike McGinn announced an outreach effort to inspire conversation among the youth of Seattle about gun violence. The City of Seattle, with the support of Chihuly Studio and Schnitzer Steel, is launching a contest called “Weapons to Words” that asks children in Seattle to come up with a short quotation on the subject of gun violence. Plaques made from metal upcycled from guns recovered from Seattle’s gun buyback program will feature quotes from Seattle students about what a violence-free future means to them.
“Our city has been through a lot lately. Gun violence has left many in our community wondering what they can do to help” said Mayor McGinn. “These upcycled plaques, inscribed with the hopes and dreams of the next generation, will transform weapons of violence into something positive. It is my hope that this project will spur a conversation in our community about what kind of city we want to be, and how we can get there together.”
The plaques, made from upcycled steel that includes the weapons we recovered, will be placed in Seattle parks.
(WSB photo from August 2012)
Another season of West Seattle Outdoor Movies is on the way (July/August, dates TBA). Last year, not only were there record crowds, according to organizer Lora Swift of Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor and movie coordinator – the screen’s in the courtyard by her shop), but also a fundraising total of more than $1,500 for local nonprofits, via the raffle tickets sold on movie nights. So now it’s time to ask – what would YOU like to see this year? Please note, the movies need to be relatively family-friendly, since it’s an all-ages crowd, and not something shown in the past few years:
2012’s movie lineup was Pretty in Pink, Young Frankenstein, Lion King, Iron Man, Yellow Submarine, Top Gun
2011′s movie lineup was Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Airplane, Despicable Me, Jurassic Park (1), Toy Story 3
2010′s movie lineup was Mamma Mia, War Games, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wayne’s World, Up, Star Trek
And there are a few other caveats – the “Star Wars” movies aren’t available for this kind of outdoor showing, for example.
But Lora and the WSOM committee would love to hear your suggestions – just post a comment! Thanks!
The design for the new Fire Station 32 in The Triangle will be shown off at an open house June 1st. First word of the event has just arrived in the mailboxes of neighbors including Sharonn Meeks of the Fairmount Community Association, who shared a copy of the invitation. The station at 37th and Alaska is almost half a century old, and its replacement will be headquarters to SFD’s Battalion 7 – a larger role than the station has now, though it’s already home to the only West Seattle-based medic unit, Medic 32. Though the city has applied for permits, construction of the $15 million project is still a ways off, with demolition likely late next year, as we reported in a project update two months ago. You can find out more firsthand at the June 1st event, 1-3 pm, promising tours as well as a chance to see the design planned for the new station, which will be built on the current site, with station operations located to a TBD temporary site during construction.
In memory of the Easy Street Records awning (WSB coverage here), our “picture of the day” is the semi-live image from the SDOT traffic camera at California/Alaska in The Junction, which also shows the full-height Oregon 42 construction project at upper right. On to what else is happening today, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
EAT AT JOE’S, HELP THE FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL: One of the signs at WSB sponsor Endolyne Joe’s exhorts, “Eat at Joe’s,” and when you do that tonight starting at 5 pm, you’ll be raising money for this volunteer-presented festival, happening this year on October 20th. (9261 45th SW)
RIDE TO REMEMBER LANCE DAVID: Join West Seattle Bike Connections and West Seattle Greenways at 5:30 pm tonight, departing from Seacrest, for a ride to remember Lance David, who died in last Wednesday’s bike-truck collision on East Marginal Way. Full ride details here.
WESTWOOD-ROXHILL-ARBOR HEIGHTS COUNCIL MEETING: Earlier time this month, but same location – 6 pm, Southwest Branch Library, with priorities and leadership on the agenda. (35th/Henderson)
(added) STORYTELLERS!
The Seattle Storytellers Guild presents TELLERS & WRITERS
A monthly program to craft & share our universal storiesPartnering with CHACO CANYON ORGANIC CAFE
Discover the power of storytelling with our featured guests:
7 pm to 8:30 pm – Pamela Sackett, Auntmama, Liz HibbardLooking for storytelling, writing tips – 6:30 to 7 pm
workshops with Liz Hibbard and Nancy Calos-NakanoWant a chance to tell a story? Sign up at 6:30pm
Memorized or written, there’s a place for you!
Chaco Canyon is at 37th/Alaska.
TRIVIA GIVEAWAY: Tonight’s Trivia That Rocks at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) will include a giveaway of tickets for the upcoming Seattle Queensryche concert. Trivia starts at 8 pm. (6451 California SW)
SING IT: Baby Ketten Karaoke tonight, 9 pm, Skylark Café and Club. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
7:21 AM: No sun-glare challenges this morning, though the forecast says it’ll be back – no other major impediments reported so far, either.
7:58 AM: Aiko reports a school bus stalled or otherwise mobility-challenged on 35th SW in the High Point area.
8:45 AM: Traffic alert for Delridge in the 5900 block – what’s on the 911 log as a car fire is, according to Tom via Twitter, a car-vs.-truck crash just outside K-5 STEM at Boren. We are en route to see what’s happening.
9 AM: The crash involved a taxi that went into the back of a truck, on the southbound side of Delridge:
As bad as it looks, we are told at the scene that no one was hurt.
Big day at the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s Log House Museum this Saturday – the LHM is participating in West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day (sale #70 on the map) 9 am-3 pm, and from 11 am-1 pm will be hosting its monthly informational event for prospective volunteers. And from SWSHS executive director Clay Eals – some specific ways you can help:
Just in time for the warmth of late spring and summer, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society is ramping up its tour schedule and native-plant garden — and volunteers are welcome to help out.
Volunteer committees have formed to focus on tours and gardening. The leaders are Mark Lewis for tours and Carol Vincent for gardening. Here are details on both:
(UPDATED 1:48 AM with removal of the rest of the awning)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
It’s been battered over the years, but not broken. Now, though, Easy Street Records‘ famous neon-decorated awning is coming down.
Half gone already, as of a little while ago, when we took these photos, and the demolition crew is still on the job.
It was more than half a century old, according to Easy Street proprietor Matt Vaughan, and it’s a wonder it lasted this long: Almost three years ago, a truck hit a tree, which in turn took out part of the neon. At the time, Vaughan commented via Twitter that the neon had only just been fixed from the last time it was affected by truck trouble. (We’re not sure if that was the 2008 incident on which we also reported.) But overall, we were told at the store this afternoon, the awning was just flat old and rusty.
Beloved just the same – news of the awning’s imminent removal caused an uproar on Facebook this afternoon – as of this writing, 133 comments on Easy Street’s page, and more than 45 comments on the WSB Facebook page, where we had shared the ESR update.
Some concerned commenters asked if the awning could get protection from the city’s historic-preservation authorities. Short answer – Not without the building having landmark status. When the city inventoried local properties several years back, it offered the opinion that the Hamm Building – the 1926 home to Easy Street and other businesses – might merit that protection. To our knowledge, that hasn’t been sought. City records even show a demolition/development proposal dating back to 2007, though it doesn’t appear to have advanced from the early stages.
As for what if anything will replace the awning, ESR isn’t sure yet, they told us when we first inquired this afternoon. But one thing’s for sure – many West Seattleites, most of whom probably haven’t even heard of its in-progress removal, will miss it – as the understory of the sign that stands over the awning so often offering messages reflecting the community mood, even simple holiday greetings like the one in our November 2009 photo:
We’ll follow up to see what happens from here.
1:48 AM UPDATE: Thanks to Dennis for sending photos of the California SW-side removal:
And that side of the building, awningless:
The famous marquee remains:
ADDED TUESDAY: Thanks to WSB’er Datamuse for pointing out in comments that Easy Street’s website has this expanded statement on the awning situation.
First one we’ve happened onto, anyway: An apartment project proposed for 5949 California SW (map), north of Morgan Junction, is described as a “boarding house,” one of the phrases used in city documentation for what’s becoming more widely known as “microhousing.” Its initial paperwork listed five levels (one basement, 4 above ground) and five residential units – but, as noted in City Council discussions recently, there has been a city loophole in which microhousing was allowed through the system despite equating the number of common kitchens to the number of units, instead of just declaring the total number of rentable units. That loophole is on its way out, and revised paperwork for this “five-unit” project shows it will include 38 “sleeping rooms.” Here’s the city webpage for the project; it hasn’t turned up on the Land Use Information Bulletin yet, so we’re not sure yet about the deadline for comments, but will check tomorrow.
Thanks to the people who tipped us about some kind of police operation under way in the vicinity of the Super 24 store along Delridge. WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand arrived and found SWAT officers, guns drawn, and someone apparently in custody. No one is commenting at the scene so we are trying to find out more. Traffic was stopped on Delridge for a while but Patrick says it’s just been allowed to resume.
With this record-setting heat, we’ve been getting questions about when the city’s wading pools open. Schedule’s not out yet, but the short answer: Not till next month. The questions, however, inspired us to check in on the new addition to West Seattle’s outdoor aquatics scene this summer – the Highland Park Spraypark, going in at the site of the wading pool that’s hasn’t been open since 2008. Seattle Parks project manager Kelly Goold says the spraypark is currently on track for completion by the end of this month, and shared construction photos with WSB:
The top photo, he explains, “shows concrete being poured in one pad and forming for the next – concrete for this project is part of the final phase.” The second photo shows “the very cool bronze inlays that tie to the planetary theme of the spray-park.” As he notes, most of the work has been “in-ground; a lot of piping for the spray-park equipment.”
Another new Junction-area development is set for its first hearing before the Southwest Design Review Board. A May 23rd meeting has just turned up on the SWDRB schedule for 4745 40th SW. The city’s online files say it is proposed for 150 apartments, 9 live-work units, and 100 parking spaces in a building of up to eight stories on a site north of SW Edmunds, south of a future city park, west (across 40th) from the Masonic Temple, and steps away from the southwest edge of the future Whole Foods (etc.) project (also across 40th). The May 23rd meeting is scheduled for 6:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle at California/Oregon.
(Before then, the board will meet this Thursday [May 9th], also at 6:30 at the Senior Center, for its first look at 4535 44th SW, a 4-story, 35-apartment, 4-live-work-unit project first mentioned here in March.)
Shortly after we took that photo, a tow-truck crew righted the car, which had flipped onto the south side of the 20th/Henderson intersection, just east of Delridge Way. No official information on circumstances at this point but police told us one person had been taken to a hospital.
5:15 PM UPDATE: This was a two-car crash, according to Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore, whose department does not investigate the cause but does treat the victims, so he was able to tell us that the person taken to the hospital as a precaution was the 28-year-old woman driving the flipped PT cruiser. She got herself and a 3-week-old baby girl out of the vehicle before Engine 11 arrived; the 25-year-old woman and 4-year-old in the other vehicle were not hurt.
8:02 PM UPDATE: A commenter who lives nearby says the 4-year-old was actually in the flipped PT cruiser and the baby in the other car.
First of 2 West Seattle Crime Watch notes: If you’ve had a bicycle stolen lately, in addition to checking with police, keep checking our WSCW reports, because more keep coming in. We mentioned a few in this WSCW report over the weekend; then this morning, Anne e-mailed to say that TWO mountain bikes have turned up on her out-of-the-way street (steep slope of SW Lander), likely left by thieves. She says both are “men’s mountain bikes. One is a medium blue and one is red.” She has reported them to police but would like to get them back to their owners.
(added) If you’re missing a bike that might be one of those two – e-mail Anne at phastphood@hotmail.com.
Second, Chris says a hit-run crash on Saturday left these marks on his car:
My car was backed into (Saturday) morning in the West Seattle Trader Joe’s parking lot. I was parked next to the spot that’s not a spy on the north side of the parking lot. An older model navy blue SUV was parked in that spot and I believe it was this car that backed into me. I am looking for whoever did this or anyone who might have seen something. A photo of my back quarter panel with the offending back bumper mark across it is attached.
Third, just received as we were about to publish this, Annlee reports a car prowl at Lincoln Park:
I was enjoying a beautiful sunny day at Lincoln Park (Sunday) with my sister and kids. We got back to my car and noticed the doors were unlocked. I had only left my window opened a crack but it was enough for the thief to use someone’s broken-off antenna to hook and unlock my doors. My purse and my sister’s purse were stolen out of the trunk with everything inside them. Even my daughter’s sleeping bag was stolen and she was absolutely devastated. Please keep an eye out while visiting Lincoln Park. If you happen to see any gray purses or black wallets with IDs in them, please turn them in. If you happen to see anyone suspicious wandering around the parking lot with a pink princess sleeping bag, please call the police!
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