West Seattle, Washington
18 Monday
Go beyond the daily discussion – which we’ll resume tomorrow with the new daily traffic/transit update – at two events this week:
SUSTAINABLE WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION FORUM TOMORROW NIGHT: How we get around both on and off the peninsula – and to/from – has long been a hot topic, and these past two weeks, since Metro debuted RapidRide C Line and made other changes, transit has been at the top of the discussion list. In case you have missed previous mentions, here’s another reminder that you are invited to hear directly from county and city reps – and to ask questions! – during this month’s Sustainable West Seattle Community Forum, 7 pm Monday at the Senior Center of West Seattle in The Junction. Here’s the latest version of the panel, from SWS’s website:
Seattle Council Transportation Chair Tom Rasmussen
King County Exec. Transportation Advisor Chris Arkills
Metro Director of Service Development Victor Obeso
Seattle Transit Blog Editor-in-Chief Martin Duke
Director of Seattle Department of Transportation Peter Hahn
See you there.
WEST SEATTLE ROTARY TALKS TRANSPORTATION: Here’s the announcement for Tuesday’s lunch meeting, just out of the WSB inbox:
Members of the Rotary club of West Seattle gather on Tuesdays for lunch at Salty’s on Alki for fellowship and to learn more about our community, and the world. This week (October 16) we are excited to have Mike Lindblom, Seattle Times transportation reporter. This is an “encore” presentation. Mike made a presentation to our club in August of 2011 on Seattle transportation projects and their impact on West Seattle. Mike is a West Seattle resident and has covered a wide variety of projects including the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the Seattle Monorail Project. Please join us Tuesday 12:00-1:30 for lunch and an interesting speaker.
If you’ve been reading/participating in WSB coverage of the bus changes and/or reading the Times, you know Mike has been covering it closely, and bringing detailed information to discussions (plus Twitter coverage). You don’t have to be a Rotary member to attend.
From the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:
SUNDAY BREAKFAST AT THE EAGLES’ HALL: You’re invited to breakfast at the West Seattle Eagles‘ HQ, next to the post office in The Junction, 9-11:30 am, details here.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, 44th and Alaska in The Junction. See the Ripe-n-Ready List here.
STITCH & SEW STUDIO OPEN HOUSE: Grand-opening weekend continues with day 2 of the open house, noon-3 pm, 5910 California SW. (Here’s our preview report from last weekend.)
FIGHT LIKE A GIRL! BREAST-CANCER BENEFIT: 12:30 pm, special event at Seattle Integrated Martial Arts. By donation, for the battle against breast cancer. Details here.
DELRIDGE CIDER PRESSING: 1-4 pm in the Delridge P-Patch, today! Full details on the North Delridge Neighborhood Council website.
GREYHOUND MEETUP: Got a greyhound? Join the meetup today at West Seattle Petco (41st/Alaska), 1-3 pm.
COMMUNITY ART SHOWCASE AT SOUTHWEST LIBRARY: Starts today! Library at 35th/Henderson is open 1-5 pm.
FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL: No matter what the weather does, festival organizers say it’s on! Just doublecheck the on-site posted schedule for times/locations of events when you get there, as some likely will be moved around. Festival hours are 2-6 pm; location, 9140 and 9131 California SW, at the church, Y, and schoolhouse (9100 block of California SW) – for general reference, here’s the most recent version of the event schedule (but again, changes are expected).
LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Caryn K and Meg Miller are the locals performing this afternoon at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 5612 California SW.
‘TRIBUTE TIMES TWO – ANTHEMS OF ACTIVISM’: A double bill at The Admiral Theater starting at 4 pm with a Pete Seeger tribute by Peter McKee, followed by the 7 pm Steve Goodman tribute with Clay Eals, Tom Colwell, Bruce Hanson, and Mark Myers. Details on this Facebook event page – and in our preview from earlier this week. It’s music, history, stories, even humor – go to one or both shows!
SONGWRITERS’ SHOWCASE: 8 pm at Skylark Café and Club (3803 Delridge Way SW).
More on the calendar!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
A North Delridge woman is recovering from being bitten in the face by a dog in her neighborhood near Cottage Grove Park that sent her to the hospital and left neighbors concerned about whether Seattle Animal Shelter investigators are doing enough about it.
We’ve been gathering information about this incident since hearing about it from a neighbor, who said the attack happened Monday night, and that the dog, which she described as a pit bull, was on a leash with its owner. She was upset that the SAS officer talked with the owner “and then left without taking the dog.”
We have spoken twice since then with SAS representatives, who tell us there is no rule that they immediately seize an animal that bites a person. The first officer with whom we spoke said usually those types of attacks result in a citation, but he did not know if a citation had been issued and said he would seek that information; we finally got an update Saturday from SAS enforcement supervisor Ann Graves, who said no citation had been issued but the investigation was continuing and she expected to receive the final report soon.
The victim, who does not want to be identified, talked with us by phone.
Next Saturday morning, family and friends will gather at The Kenney (WSB sponsor) to remember Bob Minckler. His family shares this remembrance:
Robert (Bob) Minckler passed away on September 25, 2012 at the age of 90. He was a lifelong resident of West Seattle, a 1940 graduate of West Seattle High School. While in high school, he fell in love with and later married the girl across the street – Audrey (Gessner) Minckler. Bob served his country as a Merchant Marine during WWII. After being honorably discharged from the military he went to work for Reliable Transfer & Storage Company where he worked until his retirement. Bob loved playing golf, spending time with his friends and family, and setting up shop to create works of art. After retirement Bob enjoyed spending winters in Hawaii and keeping an eye on the grandkids.
Bob was thankful to have had the good fortune of surrounding himself with wonderful friends with whom he and Audrey were able to join on their many travels. These past few years, Bob felt most passionate about undertaking a project to grant his fellow Merchant Marines full veteran status.
He is survived by Audrey, his wife of 70 years, daughter Barbara (Richard) Wagner, son Mark (Leslie) Minckler and daughter Betty Lee Minckler. Grandchildren: Amy Guilizen, Gaile (Jason) Brandenburg, Christopher Kintz, Michael & Lauren Minckler, Jacob & Max Zimmerman. Great grandchildren: Audrey & Liam Brandenburg.
A memorial service will be held on October 20, 2012 – 10:00 AM at The Kenney, 7125 Fauntleroy Way SW. Donations may be sent to The Kenney Foundation.
(WSB publishes obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
(2010 Duwamish Alive! photo by Cliff DesPeaux for WSB)
Whether you paddle on the river, or walk into the watershed, there’s a multitude of ways you can help during the twice-yearly Duwamish Alive! cleanup next Saturday. All ages welcome! Choose a volunteer site here – or read on for details in the official announcement:
Read More
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
As always, the WSBeat summaries are from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers, incidents 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?”:
*The phrase “art walk” took on a new meaning on Gatewood Hill early Monday, where officers responded to a report of a suspicious person in a backyard and found signs of a break-in and theft at a home that had been staged for sale.
A K-9 dog led an officer through the yard, through a hole in a fence, through a neighbor’s yard, back onto a sidewalk and finally to the side of a home further down the block. Lying on her side was a woman. Lying on her back deck were the two missing pieces of art. The 52-year-old was booked into King County Jail for investigation of burglary.
Three more incidents (including one that’s not for the squeamish) – ahead:Read More
The third Southwest Design Review Board meeting for 9051 20th SW isn’t until October 25th, as we first noted two weeks ago, but the “packet” is already available through the city Department of Planning and Development – you can see it here. According to the packet, the project is now proposed for 41 units, three of them live-work, and 3,300 square feet of commercial space. Along 20th SW, it is proposed for four floors, and along Barton on its south side it is proposed for three, as shown in this design from the packet:
This project, on a site where two boarded-up and vandalized houses now sit, had two “early design guidance” meetings because the design changed dramatically after the first one, into one building instead of two. Its next meeting, which could be the last if the board gives its blessing, is scheduled for 6:30 pm October 25th at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California and Oregon in The Junction).
Speaking of football: In connection with the Seahawks‘ upcoming Thursday Night Football game vs. the 49ers, Gatewood Elementary is up against a San Francisco school in an online vote for $1,000 in grant money. P.E. teacher Alex Beaty had been seeking crowdfunding to pay for equipment so students can “move to music”; the NFL picked up his proposal and ran with it, all the way to the special football tie-in. It’s a no-strings-attached type of vote – just a click, as often as once an hour – go here before Thursday!
(All photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
After Chief Sealth International High School‘s first-time-in-a-long-time Huling Bowl triumph last night – Sealth 19, West Seattle High School 15 – there were celebrations loud …
(Video by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
and not so loud:
And lots of spirit from both sides even before the team captains headed out for the coin flip (note the pink socks for Breast Cancer Awareness Month):
It wasn’t long till a hard-fought game was under way:
WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams‘ 23 additional scenes from the field, the stands, and the sidelines tell the story – ahead:
Probably no point in saying rain or shine, but the word is that the Fauntleroy Fall Festival IS STILL ON for tomorrow, rain or no rain. The most recent version of the schedule still will have some location changes because of the weather, so just check around when you get there, for the updated plan. Also – one last call for CAKES!!! for the Cake Walk – great thing to make on this rainy afternoon. Kim Petram‘s reminder, “Any homemade cake will do – you don’t have to be an expert decorator, just do your best. Please bring all donated cakes to the festival on Sunday October 14th, dropoff starting at 11:00 a.m. at The Hall at Fauntleroy Emerald Room.” Kim adds, “This year the cake walk will have a slightly different prize category for best decorated cakes – beginners, intermediate and experienced … please have them to the festival preferable by 1:30 pm and no later than 2 pm. The festival begins at 2:00 p.m. – festivalgoers can vote on their favorite cakes in the three categories from 2:00 pm to 3:15 pm with the prize winners announced at 3:30 p.m.. The cake walk will then commence. The most coveted and fabulous hand made chef hats are again the prizes.” The festival sites are Fauntleroy Church, YMCA (WSB sponsor), and Schoolhouse, 9140 and 9131 California SW, 2-6 pm tomorrow – see you there!
Thanks to WSB’er “smokeycretin” for sending the photo. Police and fire are handling a flipped-vehicle crash at 5th Place and Roxbury – on the westbound (city) side of Roxbury. Apparently no major injuries, since the callout has no medic unit so far. But the response, and eventual tow, are likely to affect traffic coming up the hill from 509/South Park for a while.
Congratulations to Matt Vaughan, owner of West Seattle-founded Easy Street Records, for winning King County’s “Small Business of the Year” award, presented by County Executive Dow Constantine at a celebration in Bellevue this week. We stopped by Easy Street in The Junction to photograph and talk with Vaughan afterward; he said the honor is “humbling” and means a lot coming from fellow West Seattleite Constantine. He also told us he was surprised – because one of the other two finalists is a cupcake company, and, well, “everybody loves cupcakes.” (We would have to point out here that everyone loves music, too.) Read the official county announcement of winners and runners-up, after the jump (including the “exporting” winner, Enprecis, a downtown-based company which we are told has four West Seattleites on its team):
The photo is courtesy of West Seattle photographer Machel Spence, who’s involved with the Wild Mushroom Show, which is actually at Magnuson Park in the north end (details here) today and tomorrow, but her photo goes so well with the damp forecast for our area (and the rest of the city) … But don’t let the rain keep you home! Much going on – including local businesses welcoming you to their grand opening/open house/anniversary events. Highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:
TIBBETTS UMC RUMMAGE SALE: 10 am-3 pm, the sale only comes twice a year! Second and final day to go browse and buy at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor), 3940 41st SW.
BIOSWALE/RAINGARDEN OPEN HOUSE: If you live in Westwood or Sunrise Garden, go find out about the newest version of the plan for “green stormwater infrastructure” to reduce sewer overflows into Puget Sound by cutting down on what goes into the system uphill. 10 am-noon at Westside School (WSB sponsor) – here’s our preview, with a map.
PLANT SALE AT SSCC: Fall is THE time to plant perennials, and you’ll find deals at the South Seattle Community College Garden Center, 11 am-3 pm, north side of the campus at 6000 16th SW.
THREE OPEN HOUSE/GRAND OPENINGS:
*BodyLife Conditioning: Free Nia (10 am) and Yoga (11 am) classes, plus noon- 2 pm snacks and beverages to celebrate the grand opening at 5432 California Ave SW (more info on the BLC website).
*Stitch & Sew Studio: The new addition to the West Seattle Fabric Company family is having an open house today 11 am-4 pm (and tomorrow noon-3 pm), as reported in our story from last weekend. 5910 California SW.
*West Seattle Fight and Fitness, 5050 Delridge Way SW, 11 am-7 pm, details in the calendar listing.
PUMPKIN JUNCTION: Today marks the start of a pumpkin-beer/cider celebration at The Beer Junction (even beer floats/shakes with Husky Deli ice cream), which also adds four new taps today (20 total). Details here.
SW SEATTLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY CHAMPAGNE LUNCHEON: 11:30 am-1:30 pm, “Stand Tall for History” to celebrate SWSHS. The event’s at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor).
GET YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT RENOVATING/CUSTOM BUILDING ANSWERED – FREE! Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) just told us a few spots remain open in its free workshop at their West Seattle HQ at noon. Info here.
ADOPT-A-THON FOR FOSTER CATS: Come meet the kitties and their foster parents, and consider offering a forever home. Noon-3 pm at Alki Community Center – details in our preview from earlier this week.
SOUTHWEST LIBRARY COMMUNITY ART SHOWCASE – LAST CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE! Last day to sign up to be part of the showcase, which starts tomorrow – details here.
KIDS’ ART SHOW TO BENEFIT SMILE TRAIN: 1-4 pm at Young At Art Studio (now at Fauntleroy/Raymond) – details in our calendar listing. YAA’s Theresa just e-mailed to invite you to “grab some super-cute kids’ art. They have worked hard for this event and are so glad to help the kids who need help.”
CIDER PRESSING AT VILLAGE GREEN: Come see the antique cider press in action, and taste the results. Bring apples, pears, even plums, and containers; 1-4 pm at Village Green Perennial Nursery (WSB sponsor), 10223 26th SW.
MEMORIALS TODAY: Two obituaries/memorial announcements published here on Friday are for gatherings today, so here’s one more mention: “Stumbletown” Steve Adams, 1 pm, Feedback Lounge (6451 California SW; WSB sponsor); Darrell Locklin, 2 pm, Forest Lawn (6701 30th SW; WSB sponsor).
LONGFELLOW CREEK WATERSHED WALK: The second in the three-Saturday series of walks with Feet First is today, 1 pm-3 pm. Meet at the P-Patch at 25th and Thistle; more info here.
SEATTLE LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: The Saints are back home to take on Orcas Island at West Seattle Stadium, 1:30 pm.
ALKI TRIVIA CRAWL: Starts at 3 pm. Find out about it here.
CLICK! TURNS 8 AND THROWS A PARTY: Tonight at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) at 4540 California SW, you’re invited to help proprietors Frances and John Smersh (below) celebrate their 8th anniversary in business (six years in The Admiral District, two in The Junction).
(WSB photo by Torin Record-Sand)
Beer, pretzels, donuts, guest DJs (including WSB’s own “dj pops” for the first hour, we hear). 5 pm-9 pm.
EVERGREEN COMMUNITY AQUATIC CENTER FUNDRAISER: The aquatic center is in White Center but West Seattleites use it too; they’re having their first-ever benefit auction 7 pm-midnight in Normandy Park. Find out more here.
CANDYLANDIA DANCE PARTY: Second Saturday of the month at The Benbow Room, starting at 9 pm, 4210 SW Admiral Way.
More nightlife – and other events – on the calendar!
10 am-noon today, King County Wastewater Treatment staffers are at Westside School (WSB sponsor) for an open house to talk about the changes to the proposal for “green stormwater infrastructure” to reduce combined-sewer overflows from the Barton Pump Station in Fauntleroy. The map above – which is from this newsletter sent by the county – shows the new plan for 19 blocks where the county wants to put in “bioswales,” down from more than 30 in earlier versions of the proposal, which is now up to the “60-percent design” stage. There’s also a new aspect to the plan – incentives for voluntary participation in the RainWise program to install raingardens. According to the agenda for the meeting – which you’ll find here, along with other documents – there’s no presentation; they’ll explain the format at 10 am, and then information tables are open till noon.
(This photo and the following 7 are by Nick Adams for WSB)
It seems so long ago – Thursday night, before the rain returned, a beautiful night to wander West Seattle and enjoy the monthly WS Art Walk sights and sounds – with most of the art staying on display all month long, so this report is really about places you can still go and art you can still enjoy, even if you weren’t out and about during Art Walk itself. We visited a variety of venues – starting in the north at Alki Arts, where local painter Cathy Woo (above) showed all-new work. See the others, ahead:
(Video of Sealth celebration after the game – more video, photos to come in 2nd report)
Just in from Southwest Athletic Complex: Chief Sealth International High School wins the Huling Bowl, 19-15 over West Seattle High School. Photos, video, and details in report #2, later. (For some of the game’s toplines, check out our live-event Twitter feed at @wsblive.)
A memorial service is planned at West Seattle’s Forest Lawn tomorrow afternoon for Darrell Locklin, who died a week ago at age 78. His family shares this remembrance:
West Seattle native Darrell Locklin was born February 21, 1934, and graduated from West Seattle High School in 1952. He entered the army in 1956, and was stationed at Killeen Base in Texas, where he earned commendations for scholastic achievement and finishing first in his class in special weapons training (despite a life-long dislike of guns). And he met Katherine Kelly.
They married in 1958, returned to Seattle, bought a house in 1964, and settled in to raise a family, and where they lived until his death. He put many hours and even years into improving the house. Even in the past year, when it looked and felt like it was finally done, he said he still had some things he wanted to do.
In 1970 he graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in social work and went to work for the Department of Social and Health Services. He transferred to the Department of Corrections and became a probation and parole officer. In 1984 he moved to Reynolds Work Release (a transition facility for offenders re-entering the community), and retired in 1995, completing a 20+-year career in social and public service.
His interests in life were varied. He played and coached softball, and coached both his children in little league baseball. He passed on (or tried to) his interest in baseball, cars, and hydroplane racing.
(Photos by Tony Bradley)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 7:11 PM: Big Fire Department response to the 6900 block of California Avenue SW right now, possible house fire, though the first engines are not seeing any flames.
7:14 PM UPDATE: Apparently a small fire that’s out, but there’s a big traffic backup because the fire units are blocking California SW northbound – avoid the area (California/Frontenac vicinity).
7:32 PM UPDATE: Firefighters are calling for Red Cross help for two adults and two children who got out OK but will need some place to stay.
7:59 PM UPDATE: SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore tells us this started as a kitchen fire and was indeed tapped within 10 minutes. Medics evaluated one person, but no treatment was needed.
11:59 PM UPDATE: Moore has more info on the fire – investigators confirm it was an accidental cooking fire, with damage estimated at $10,000 to the structure, $10,000 to contents.
Almost two months after we brought you first word of The Copper Coin, coming to the ex-Porterhouse spot in The Admiral District, it’s about to open. Proprietor Aaron Shepherd just sent word:
We are aiming to open our doors at 5:00 on Monday the 15th for our soft opening, and then follow that up on Wednesday with our Grand Opening. Starting Wednesday we will be serving lunch and dinner seven days a week, with hours from 11:30-11:00 Sunday-Thursday and 11:30-12:00 Friday & Saturday. A Sunday brunch will be added to the lineup in about 4 weeks.
We are excited to open our doors to the neighborhood and to finally welcome everybody to our dining room. The neighborhood’s support and enthusiasm has been fantastic. Just last night, we had delicious cake delivered to us by Brent Amacher, our State Farm neighbor.
As noted in our August story, Shepherd is a co-owner of the popular Hill’s Neighborhood Restaurant. He told us then that he wants The Copper Coin (website here) to be “a good neighborhood joint.”
Thanks to Chris for the tip via Twitter – most of the “rechannelization” striping is in on the north end of Delridge Way SW, basically between the south side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center and the West Seattle Bridge. Above, our dashcam view driving the northbound side just now; next, the southbound view:
The rechannelization was announced as part of a plan announced last spring to speed up Route 120 buses – we just happened to wind up behind one while our camera was rolling on the southbound side. As you might notice in the video, some painting remains to be done – bike lane and bus lane stenciling, for example. Here’s the county’s explanation of what was changed (see the link in that page’s sidebar).
From the just-published edition of West Seattle High School‘s online newsletter Westside Weekly, edited by Bev Corey:
Girls Volleyball Team Currently #1 in the Metro Sound Division with an Undefeated Record!
WSHS Volleyball is currently 9-0 in the Metro Sound Division, 9-3 over all. All the volleyball teams (Varsity, JV, JVC) are improving with every match. The Varsity team has 2 matches remaining this season. The big rematch will be against Chief Sealth, who is 2nd in the division, on Wednesday, Oct 17th in our house!!! This happens to be Senior night also. We will be honoring four seniors, Captains Maddie Collins, Ellen Cleveland, Athena Lamyuen and Nanna Darden. The Metro Tournament at the end of the month should be very tough – 9 out of the last 12 years, the 3A State champ has com from our League!! The girls are excited to compete and stir things up at Metro’s.
The Wednesday volleyball game between WSHS and CSIHS is at 7 pm next Wednesday in the WSHS gym (3000 California SW). Their last faceoff was September 24th (WSB photo coverage here).
(RapidRide C bus photographed near Seattle Center this afternoon)
As West Seattle bus riders conclude the second week of Metro’s RapidRide C Line launch and other service changes, the numbers we’ve requested have arrived – ridership and number of buses before and after – along with an update on what Metro is considering to address ongoing concerns. Here’s the full text of the reply we received:
Current Ridership Indicators
Metro along with its riders in West Seattle has seen the crowded conditions and unfortunate pass-ups of some riders on the RapidRide C Line and the Route 120 since our fall service change period began on September 29. All indications are that RapidRide C Line ridership, and ridership on the entire body of service Metro operates between West Seattle and Downtown Seattle is up substantially from last spring in the first two weeks since its launch. At this time Metro has only raw data from several in person field counts for service operating via the Alaskan Way Viaduct. In a four day peak period count of passenger loads entering downtown in the morning and exiting downtown in the afternoon/evening, buses have about 25% more people on board than routes in spring 2011 and about 18% more than in the spring 2012 (February to June) period. In real numbers, passenger counts averaged 2537 with a high of 2611 in the morning and 2830 with a high of 2919 in the afternoon.
These passenger counts were conducted between 7 and 9 a.m. at the Seneca and 2nd Ave intersection and between 4 and 6 p.m. at the Columbia and 2nd Ave bus stop on Thursday 10/4 and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10/9, 10 and 11.
Peak Commute Period Bus Trips between West Seattle and Downtown via the viaduct or SODO before and after this service change
With hours to go till the big football game, West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School vying for the Huling Bowl, the two schools’ marching bands have spent the past few hours on the field practicing – that’s Marcus Pimpleton coaching them from the ladder in our top photo. The big focus was marching when we got there – so our video includes some drumming and a little singing but to hear the instruments, you’ll just have to be there tonight:
Here’s our earlier preview, including game info and history from one of the game’s sponsors/namesakes. Pregame barbecue at 5, game at 7, Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle).
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