West Seattle, Washington
29 Friday
(Kathleen says the eagle landed on her roof on Thursday, “posed for a few pictures, and flew away”)
Our look ahead to today/tonight starts in The Junction, where a new weekly Game Night is ready for another go-round at Uptown Espresso (Edmunds/Erskine/California), 6-11 pm, bring your own board/card/dice games or use the ones you’ll find there … Bin 41‘s next wine tasting is 5:30-7 pm tonight, kicking off Washington Wine Month with winemaker Marcus Miller from Airfield Estates … On Puget Ridge, the monthly “Meaningful Movies” series will screen “The Economics of Happiness” at 7:30 pm, common house at Puget Ridge Cohousing (18th and Myrtle) … In North Delridge, the Skylark Café and Club (WSB sponsor) live-music bill tonight includes My My Hey Hey‘s Neil Young tribute at 11 pm (more on the Skylark calendar) … Can’t wait for Southgate to reopen? No waiting required for weekly Friday night skating at Alki Community Center, 6:45-8:45 pm, BYO or use theirs ($3/person) … Peek ahead to the weekend (and beyond) on our calendar.
(One of the graphics shown at last month’s Triangle open house)
From this week’s Southwest District Council meeting: SWDC members say they’re not clear about where city planning for the West Seattle Triangle‘s future really stands, despite last month’s community open house, and their own city briefing days before it. So they want the project’s lead city planners Susan McLain and Robert Scully to return before the council and outline exactly what they’re doing next with feedback from those meetings, as well as with the plan itself, and what they’ll be telling city leaders. SWDC members also would like to talk with Councilmember Sally Clark, whose Committee on the Built Environment would theoretically eventually consider the results of the Triangle process. SWDC co-chair Susan Melrose of the West Seattle Junction Association and past co-chair Erica Karlovits of the Junction Neighborhood Organization also questioned whether the Triangle planning process had adequate community representation/participation and had truly resulted in consensus.
Another topic of concern for the council – the ongoing changes in the Department of Neighborhoods, which (among other things) provides staff assistance for district councils (whose members are all volunteers) – more after the jump:Read More
West Seattle’s newest neighborhood council – the Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council, about to celebrate its first year – has two invitations for area residents (here’s the map to use to see if that means you):
BEEFING UP BLOCK WATCHES: Next Tuesday (March 8th), 6 pm at the Southwest Precinct, area Block Watch captains and interested neighbors are invited to a Block Watch meeting, featuring retiring Crime Prevention Coordinator Benjamin Kinlow and Community Police Team Officer Ken Mazzuca as well as the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network. The GSNC hopes to find out how many active Block Watches are out there, as well as to get them going in areas that don’t have them yet. (BW captains who can’t attend are asked to contact the council through its website, to share contact and location information.) More details here.
GENESEE-SCHMITZ NEIGHBORHOOD EVENT: This one’s more of a celebration, “to kick off year two,” inviting all area residents to a town-hall forum “where neighbors can share the concerns and interests they want the council to focus on,” followed by a hoedown, led by instructor Dina Blade, with live music by the Canote Brothers. The event is 6:30-8:30 pm March 31st (dancing starts at 7) at West Seattle Christian Church, 4400 42nd SW, $3/person or family donation requested, and you’re asked to bring cookies to share!
(The team taking the floor at the start of tonight’s game)
A boys-basketball state-tournament heartbreaker just ended at the Tacoma Dome – Bellevue 49, Chief Sealth International High School 48. We tweeted live from Tacoma (see the tweets here); more details here on WSB, and video, when our crew’s back at HQ. (Sealth plays a consolation game, vs. winner of tonight’s Glacier Peak-North Central game, tomorrow at 2 pm.)
ADDED 11:20 PM: Details and video from our Tacoma Dome coverage, after the jump:Read More
Motivating teenagers to stay in school is harder than you might think. The dropout crisis is real, and multiple attempts are under way to try to convince kids, one by one, to keep going. The video you see above is part of a campaign called “Get Schooled.” West Seattle High School is participating, and there’s a rap/rhyme contest too. One participating WSHS student e-mailed WSB with his video link – it’s a 1-minute video, full of local scenery! – and this explanation:
My name is Ryan Gluckman, I am a Junior at West Seattle High School, and I am participating in “Get Schooled,” a campaign focused on motivating kids to graduate high school, and be on time to class. This program is relatively exclusive, including only 25 schools in the nation, one of them being WSHS. Participating students submit a rhyme & video that explain how they stay motivated in school. I wrote, directed, performed, and co-produced an entire video along with the help of my fellow student, a Senior at West Seattle High School, Lucas Saunders. We filmed the entire video in West Seattle. WSHS showed support for my video [earlier this week] by playing my song over the intercom in the hallways inbetween classes.
Ryan also shared this link explaining the video contest and why your support matters. He has a Facebook page for his participation in the contest, too – you can show support by “liking” it here. Note that you have to sign up with the Get Schooled site to vote – though the checklist makes it look like you can’t participate if you’re over 19, the rules clearly say anyone over 13 can vote; deadline for voting is March 18th. (P.S. If you wondered who’s behind Get Schooled – we did – its “partners” are listed here, including the Seattle-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation).
Laurie Paul is a longtime West Seattle resident who is thrilled that her commute is about to get a lot shorter. She has been director of a Bright Horizons child-care center in Bellevue for 14 years – and now she is going to lead its first center in West Seattle, at Link (WSB sponsor) in The Triangle. If you see this before 7 pm, you have a chance to meet her during a drop-in informational session that’s under way at Cupcake Royale in The Junction (California/Alaska); otherwise, watch this webpage for upcoming events (like a hard-hat tour on March 31st). Paul told WSB contributor Ellen Cedergreen at today’s event that Bright Horizons is scheduled to open in Link on May 2nd.
Bright Horizons started back east and now has centers in North America and Europe. Some of its centers are partnered with companies to serve their employees (local Starbucks workers may be familiar with the Mermaid’s Lagoon program), but others are standalone community-serving centers like the one in West Seattle will be. According to our earlier conversation with regional manager Mahira Aleem, the center will serve more than 160 children, including three infant rooms. They also hope to integrate their program with some of Link’s unique features, such as the gardens planned on its rooftop deck. Their facilities are centered on the north side of Link, but they also have outdoor play areas, including one being built at the site east of neighboring Lien Animal Clinic where the Link construction trailer has been based.
Though they’re two months away from opening, they’re signing up families now, and you can find information – including phone and e-mail contacts – on their West Seattle-specific webpage, here.
Thanks to Dan for the tip and the photo – a madrona tree has fallen from the slope over Jacobsen Road (between Seaview and Beach Drive), blocking most of the westbound (downhill) lane. He says it just happened about half an hour ago.
3:44 PM NOTE: As the wild weather continues – we’re under a “short-term forecast” alert for at least another half-hour (that explains the current downpour) – might even see some lightning.
Another matter of pedestrian safety – this time, gratitude, and a reminder, from Abby:
I wanted to both thank a driver and caution other less-than-careful drivers to watch out for pedestrians. Last night, getting off the bus at 35th and Roxbury, I was crossing Barton heading north on 35th Ave SW when a truck taking a left turn onto Barton nearly ran me over, going at quite a speed. It was only thanks to a driver stopped on Barton, heading East, who honked his horn that made me stop just inches shy of being hit and likely killed last night. Thank you. I am so grateful for your action – for being there-for honking. And to all of us who drive – please take care to be watchful and mindful of pedestrians, bicyclists, and fellow motorists.
Rain, hail, sun – we’re seeing it all today, except the wind – and we’re also having an encore by the rainbows! Sue just shared that shot from Genesee. And Alki-based food writer Kim O’Donnel shared her view via Twitter:
Tonight’s forecast suggests a possible thunderstorm with ice pellets!
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
From reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers:
*Last Thursday evening, officers noticed a suspicion-evoking car in the 8000 block of Fauntleroy Way. A license check revealed that it had been used in an armed robbery on Queen Anne, and that people associated with it should be considered “armed and dangerous.” The vehicle was stopped in the 4600 block of SW Monroe. The driver was eventually released, but two passengers wound up in the King County Jail. Police say both were carrying drugs and that the woman, an Admiral resident, had an outstanding felony drug warrant.
Five more summaries after the jump, including, “What would your mothers say?” and two cases involving dogs:Read More
This morning, they were the guests of honor; in less than eight hours, they’ll be the main event. A pep rally for the Chief Sealth International High School boys’ basketball team (and others who’ve won big in competition lately) just wrapped up at the school gym about an hour ago, revving up the 1,000-plus student body for tonight’s 3A state-tournament game at the Tacoma Dome. That of course meant the fight song, starring the Sealth band and cheerleaders:
At least once a year, a local school puts out the call for musical instruments, in case you have one in the closet or the trunk or someplace it just isn’t getting used. From Diane Stuart:
What do you do with that old violin, flute, trumpet, saxophone, clarinet, (anything!) — that your now 35-year-old kid used to play in Jr. High Band?
West Seattle Elementary needs donated instruments for our instrumental instruction program. Don’t worry if that old instrument needs a tune-up, or even an overhaul. SPS has a technician who can make repairs.
Please bring donated instruments to the main office of West Seattle Elementary (formerly High Point). 6760 34th Ave SW.
If you are headed toward the West Seattle Bridge any time soon – be forewarned, there’s a car on its side in the inner eastbound lanes on the highrise, and while fire units already have cleared, the wreck itself hasn’t been moved, so avoid the bridge for a while if you can. (Above, a screengrab we took from the traffic camera a few minutes ago; here’s the live version.)
10:38 AM UPDATE: Wreck is cleared, according to an update from Metro (and a check of the aforementioned live camera).
From this morning’s Land Use Information Bulletin, sent twice weekly by the city Department of Planning and Development:
DATE SET FOR SAFEWAY-REVISION HEARING: We first reported in January about a change to the Admiral Safeway redevelopment project – the building on the northeast side of the site was losing the originally planned “flex-work spaces” and doubling the amount of apartments (from 40 to 78). Safeway talked with the Admiral Neighborhood Association about it on February 8th. This requires City Council approval, which will span two meetings – the first, before the Committee on the Built Environment, is now set for 9:30 am March 23rd (City Hall downtown). Here’s the official notice. (DPD recommends approval; that decision is viewable here.) The meeting is not an open public hearing, but the rules will allow testimony from those who provided written comments; the documentation says two positive comments were received, and two that expressed “concerns.”
SHOREMONT APARTMENTS: The official online notice that goes along with the new sign in front of these apartments at 2464 Alki can be seen here; as we reported earlier this week, the Shoremont’s new owner is proposing restoring the two buildings to four units each (two of each building’s units had been consolidated into one several years back), which is a big change from the last official proposal on the site under a different owner 3 years ago – demolition and something new. If you want to comment on the new proposal, today’s notice says you can do so through March 16th (and explains how).
(Jumping spider photographed in Lincoln Park by Machel Spence)
Highlights for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
THE DOG WHO SAVES ORCAS: Tonight is the rescheduled “Tucker and the Orcas” presentation at the Duwamish Longhouse (4705 W. Marginal Way SW), 7 pm. Presentation and ticket information on the website for sponsoring organization The Whale Trail.
CHIEF SEALTH’S BIG GAME: The Chief Sealth International High School boys’ basketball team plays in the Tacoma Dome tonight, as one of the final 8 teams in the state 3A tournament. 7:15 pm vs. Bellevue.
WSHS GRAD NIGHT FUNDRAISER: Fantasy Casino Blackjack at Pyramid Alehouse (1201 1st Avenue S. in SODO) to raise money for this year’s West Seattle High School Grad Night celebration, 5:30-9 pm, appetizers, prizes, raffles, $35 at the door if you haven’t bought your ticket already (5 and under free).
BRIGHT HORIZONS PARENT-INFO SESSION: Interested in the new child-care center opening in Link (WSB sponsor) this spring? The Bright Horizons team will be at Cupcake Royale in The Junction (4556 California SW), 4-7 pm – drop in Q/A, no formal presentation. (Here’s the official flyer.)
SCHOOL TOURS: Arbor Heights Elementary kindergarten tour at 9:30 am, Chief Sealth tour at 1 pm, Madison Middle School at 6:30 pm.
‘OPEN MIKE’ AT FRESHY’S: 1st and 3rd Thursdays are “open mike” nights at Freshy’s Coffee. Starts at 7 pm.
Two updates that both involve lights and roads:
First, thanks to the team at Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) for the tip that a new flashing-light crosswalk sign has gone up over California SW at Findlay (map). It’s one of three California SW intersections in a Neighborhood Street Fund project whose funding was noted here last year. The other two, SW Frontenac and SW Othello (both south of Morgan Junction), are also slated to get pedestrian-safety improvements this month – as reported here a few weeks back.
Second – we’ve been talking about the city’s ongoing conversion to LED streetlights, to save energy and money. A few West Seattle neighborhoods and side streets have seen some test installations. Now, there’s word that the entire West Seattle Bridge – from I-5 to the 35th/Fauntleroy end – is going to get LEDs as a “pilot” project testing them on arterials. This is according to the slides in a briefing presented to the City Council’s Energy, Technology and Civil Rights Committee on Wednesday. (The rest of West Seattle, as reiterated in the briefing, isn’t slated for conversion till 2012-2013.)
(ADDED, 11:02 PM – clip of new interim superintendent’s full speech, plus the entire :15 of cheering that followed the Goodloe-Johnson-firing vote, and board president Steve Sundquist’s remarks before the vote)
(WSB iPhone photo showing half of the standing-room-only crowd)
6:07 PM: We’re at Seattle Public Schools HQ in SODO along with a full complement of regional media and a full house of spectators as the semimonthly meeting of the Seattle School Board – led by West Seattle-residing board president Steve Sundquist – begins. As noted this morning, the board will vote tonight on whether to fire Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson after almost four years, amid a money-mismanagement scandal. The meetings always begin with about an hour of public comment, and it is likely to cover other topics; we’ll publish live updates as the meeting (which is likely to last at least three hours) continues.
(READ THE REST OF THE WSB AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE, AND SEE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS, AFTER THE JUMP)Read More
Hail, rain, wind, rainbows, sunshine, we’ve seen (and felt) it all today. Above, JayDee shared a view from Upper Alki, looking at one of the cells that moved through; below, our iPhone photo from Constellation Park south of Alki Point less than an hour after the 3 pm high tide, as wind-fueled waves hit the seawall:
What’s next, you ask? The forecast suggests things are calming down.
First of two followups to the report two weeks ago of an “active” suspect arrested for car prowling: We learned that the “active” suspect is 28-year-old Joel Lund, arrested for allegedly cutting and stealing the catalytic converter from a Junction-area vehicle described in court documents as belonging to someone “elderly.” While Lund was out of jail within a day and a half of that February 13th arrest, he was arrested again just a day later, and remains in jail today (bail set at $20,000), charged with malicious mischief in that incident, under investigation for others. We’ve been working on a longer story about the case, but in the short run, we just learned from Southwest Precinct Lt. Pierre Davis that the victim in the February 13th case got some extra help – here’s how Lt. Davis told the story:
The victim in this case was a 78 year old resident of West Seattle who depends on her vehicle as she is still completely self-sufficient. However, the damage done to her vehicle disabled her sole mode of transportation. Our West Seattle Community Police Team officers located an automotive repair shop, The Muffler Shoppe, located at 10009 16th Ave SW. that upon learning of the circumstances, volunteered to do the necessary repairs at cost. Obviously we were excited only because we knew that we could get our victim her vehicle back without her incurring significant costs. And then the scenario got better. Upon our West Seattle Citizens learning of this issue, (they) volunteered to pay for the entire cost of repair to our victim’s vehicle and get her back on the road. Although your West Seattle officers apprehended our criminal, our WS citizens really put the icing on the cake!! Way to go West Seattle!!!!
P.S. On a related note, Lt. Davis also wanted to get the word out about a special one-day Citizens’ Police Academy – a mega-condensed version of training that is usually spread out over 2-plus months. It’s set for 9 am-5:30 pm on April 9th, location TBA. It’s not listed on the CPA’s official webpage yet – but that page DOES have contact info for the program, if you’d like to call or e-mail ASAP to sign up!
Several of West Seattle’s many preschools have joined forces to start the first-ever West Seattle Preschool Association, and they’re getting out the word in hopes other preschools will join in. That’s one invitation; the second – as part of the WSPA’s launch, they’re presenting the next West Seattle Preschool Fair in April.
Renee Metty of The Cove School, president of the new association, says its mission is to “bring together preschool children, their parents and their educators in order to celebrate and promote quality preschool programs, parent education and school collaboration.” They’ve sent a letter this week to as many preschools in the area whose e-mail contact information they could find; it explains that the association was inspired by a group of preschool owners/directors who started meeting in the area last summer. The group meets monthly, third Mondays at 7 pm, and there are no membership fees during the first year (unless a school wants to be a “founding member,” in which case a $25 fee is due by June 1st, and they’re planning $35 annual fees after that).
Metty says that any West Seattle preschool educators who didn’t get the WSPA’s introductory letter are invited to contact them to be added to the list – e-mail Stephanie at office@neighborhoodpreschool.com. Meantime, the West Seattle Preschool Fair is planned for 5:30 pm-7:30 pm April 4th at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, 3050 California SW. They’re still signing up schools interested in participating – first-come, first-serve; deadline is March 31st, with a discount before 3/15; call 206-923-COVE or e-mail hello@thecoveschool.com. For families visiting the fair, admission will be free. (In future years, they plan to have the fair in January, recognizing that most school decisionmaking happens early in the year.)
Of the four potential designs shown at last night’s second community design meeting for the new 34th/Barton P-Patch, that one won an informal vote, double the support of the second-most popular. Another informal poll indicated support for preserving the big birch tree that’s on the sprawling site (a hot topic of discussion at the first meeting, as noted in our report from last month). After the jump – the three other designs, plus toplines from last night’s meeting:Read More
9:56 AM: If you’re reading this in West Seattle (as opposed to, say, an off-peninsula workplace), you might have noticed a big blast of wind a few minutes ago – we’re under an official “wind advisory” right now, so not surprising we just got word of a power outage in Arbor Heights. At the moment, the Seattle City Light map shows two outages in West Seattle – one in Arbor Heights blamed on a tree – thanks to Zachary for the tip – and a smaller one in east Genesee.) The advisory is in effect till 2 pm and says we may see gusts up to 50 mph.
3:15 PM UPDATE: The advisory expired, and none are in effect for our area right now, but the wild weather has continued, including brief bursts of hail (punctuated by sunshine!).
Increasing bird sightings are yet another sign of impending spring … This morning, in fact, we heard robins and Steller’s jays pre-dawn, and then we saw … pink flamingos. Thanks to the WSB’er who tipped us to the flamingo flock outside Alki Mail and Dispatch; when we went over for a photo, Alki Mail staff pointed us to the flyer saying the flock was placed by the Admiral Congregational Church youth group, who were in the flamingo-flocking-fundraiser business last year (WSB coverage here) and apparently are at it again (here’s the page on the church website).
| 3 COMMENTS