West Seattle, Washington
14 Sunday
Drove up Admiral Way hill north of the bridge a little while ago to confirm that the repaving work has begun – it has. (Here are the details from SDOT; it’s scheduled to continue through Friday.
Meanwhile, turns out SDOT didn’t inspect the Fauntleroy Expressway section of the bridge as expected yesterday – so the work is rescheduled for the next two days:
The Seattle Department of Transportation previously announced that they would be inspecting the Fauntleroy Expressway bridge deck (the raised roadway at the west end of the West Seattle Bridge) on April 30th. Due to unexpected mechanical issues, the work has now been rescheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, May 2nd & 3rd between 8 am and 3 pm.
The inspection team will establish short-term lane closures of the right-hand lane, beginning on the westbound side, using truck-mounted traffic warning devices. The inspection team will make short-term (15 minutes) stops at any given location along the bridge deck. After completing the westbound route the team will then inspect eastbound, toward Downtown Seattle, also along the right-hand lane. The entire inspection will be completed by 3 p.m. on the given day. (When working during the morning commute period, activities will take place in the lanes of travel that are in the opposite direction of peak traffic flows.)
These closures are required as part of the seismic retrofit of the Fauntleroy Expressway, to make it more likely to withstand the force of a major earthquake. The work is funded by the “Bridging the Gap” transportation levy approved by Seattle voters in November 2006.
(Thanks to the WSB’er who sent this photo of an eagle dining – on a smaller bird, they wrote – near Lowman Beach)
What’s up today/tonight, including highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:
ADMIRAL WAY PAVING: An SDOT paving crew is scheduled to work on Admiral Way north of the West Seattle Bridge for the rest of the week. They promise one lane in each direction will stay open. Here’s last week’s detailed announcement.
FERRY FARES RISE: Washington State Ferries fares have gone up as of today – details here.
MAY DAY MARCH/RALLY TRAFFIC REMINDER: If you missed it yesterday, here’s the SDOT alert about a protest march/rally coinciding with the evening commute.
DREAM DINNERS OPEN HOUSE: No time to cook from scratch, but takeout/dineout doesn’t work either? Dream Dinners is a different way to answer “what’s for dinner?” and if you’ve never checked out DD, tonight’s open house is your chance, with a chance to try the May menu and more. 5:30-7 pm at 4701 41st SW (east side of the Jefferson Square main building, fronting 41st); more info here.
LIVE ART BASH: At Mind Unwind in the Admiral District, Tuesday evenings are the chance for you to bring in an art project that you’re trying to finish, start, make progress on … and work in a collaborative atmosphere. 6-9 pm, 2206 California SW – more on the M/U calendar.
(added) SUP SEASON STARTS: Received this afternoon from Mountain to Sound Outfitters/Alki Kayak Tours:
Join us for our first night of the season at Alki Kayak Tours as we start the third annual Stand Up Paddleboard race series and product demo event. Starting tonight Tuesday, May 1, 2012 through the middle of September, we will meet at Seacrest Park at 1660 Harbor Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98106 EVERY Tuesday for an evening of fun. Hosted by Alki Kayak Tours, we are featuring an impressive fleet of boards for you all to try! The details: Product demo from 6:00pm to 8:00pm for $10 come and try any SUP we have available. The race has a roundtrip distance of 1.5 miles race that travels from Seacrest Park to the Duwamish River channel marker at the North point of Alki with a start time of 7:00pm. Entry fee is $5 with prizes given to top finishers. We have an official time keeper and will be recording your name, board details, and finishing time. Let’s get on the water together! Call Alki Kayak Tours direct for more information: 206.953.0237.
‘BASIC HOME TILING’ WORKSHOP: As of this writing, still a few spots left in this 7 pm workshop at the West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center) – sign up here.
Cups around candles to shelter the flames from the wind, dozens of people gathered last night for a vigil at West Seattle’s Vietnamese Cultural Center, remembering and honoring those lost in the Vietnam War, on the 37th anniversary of its April 30th, 1975, conclusion.
They paid tribute to not only the more than one million South Vietnamese lost, but also the 58,000 Americans who died. Center director Lee Bui spoke words of remembrance and reflection in Vietnamese, with pauses for English translation by Phuoc Huynh:
Earlier this year, the center dedicated its Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial (WSB coverage here), which served again last night to honor heroes:
Visitors are welcome at the center (2236 SW Orchard) every Saturday, noon-3 pm.
Almost a year ago, we reported on the Kickstarter campaign for “Film Festival: Rwanda,” a work in progress by Inflatable Film, a local production company with West Seattleites in prominent roles, including executive producer Leah Warshawski. Tonight, scenes from the documentary (the video clip above is its trailer) will be part of a free 7 pm program at SIFF Film Center, 305 Harrison Street (on Queen Anne – here’s a map), “Beyond Borders: An Evening of Film.” Also featured, Stir It Up Productions, also with a documentary in progress, “Oil and Water.” More details in their full media announcement.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports from the WSB inbox.
First, Nicole e-mailed to report that she and her sister are looking for a blue Element backpack, and contents, stolen at Lincoln Park during a birthday celebration last Saturday night. On Sunday morning, she says, joggers found it “in the woods” at the park, found her sister’s ID and credit card and contacted the family, promising to mail the cards but leaving the backpack on a bench to be picked up – and before Nicole’s sister got there, “it had been stolen yet again. It had a new dress inside, and makeup that both of us had spent hundreds of dollars on over the years and some sentimental items we’d really like to get back.” If you find anything that you think might have been part of the backpack contents she’s seeking, contact police – she’s filed a report – or e-mail her at nicole12541254@gmail.com.
And Lance reports a Sunday car prowl at 16th and Cloverdale: “Nothing seems to be missing… Everything tossed about.”
Kevin McClintic shares the photo of (from left) Tim Hossner, Ken Beres, and Phil Sweetland, installing a new wayfinding sign for Fauntleroy Church this evening at Wildwood/Fauntleroy, a block south of the ferry terminal and about three blocks west of the church. The old sign has been out of commission since an early-morning crash we covered two months ago – when a suspected drunk driver’s car crashed into it before winding up upside down on the sidewalk nearby.
That promotional video features quick clips from rehearsals for “The Rehearsal Room,” which opens May 11th for a three-show run at Chief Sealth International High School. The video is courtesy of CSIHS parent Laura Martin, as is this announcement:
Chief Sealth International High School Performing Arts is proudly staging our first musical drama since moving back to our beautifully remodeled performing arts auditorium! A cast of 21 student performers, 3 student musicians, (and several Sealth teachers in cameo roles) are in rehearsals for our musical “The Rehearsal Room.” Art imitates life in this original story about high school students trying to resurrect their school’s drama program. You’ll love the music, which features great hits from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’, 90’s and today.
Our enthusiastic cast includes a wonderfully diverse group of students from all grades, and we truly hope that all of our West Seattle neighbors will mark your calendars and attend one of our performances! Our showtimes are Fri 5-11 at 7:30 pm, Sat 5-12 at 7:30 pm, and a special Mother’s Day Matinee Sun 5-13 at 2:00 pm, with free flowers and chocolate for all moms attending this performance!
Reservations/advance tickets ($8 adults/$4 students) are available online by going here. Laura also invites supporters to “make a donation and be featured as a sponsor in our program”; you can reach her for details via sealthdramatix@gmail.com.
It’s spring musical season at West Seattle High School, and the WSHS Drama Club and Music Department invite you to come see “Bye Bye Birdie,” opening May 10th for six performances – 7:30 pm that night plus May 11th, 16th, 17th, 18th, and an 8 pm event on May 12th including a pre-func that’s a special benefit for the arts programs at Westside. The synopsis:
‘Bye Bye Birdie’ is one of the most captivating musical shows of our time. It is a satire done with the fondest affection, and tells the story of a rock and roll singer who is about to be inducted into the army. An English Teacher, What Did I Ever See in Him?, Put on a Happy Face, One Boy, A Lot of Livin’ to Do, Kids, Rosie and Spanish Rose are musical theatre classics. This is the tops in imagination and good old-fashioned fun.
For the five regular performances, tickets are $7 with a reservation (call 206-252-8834 or e-mail reservations@westsidedrama.com), $12/door. For the May 12th benefit – which includes a pre-show arts display, appetizers, and beverages at the St. John’s church hall next door – it’s $25 in advance, and no guarantee of space at the door, so get the specifics here.
Coming up this Saturday (May 5th), you’re invited to the Seattle Lutheran High School Football Team Fundraising Dinner for the 2012 season, 5 pm at the SLHS Gym (41st and Genesee). Per the announcement we received: “Guest speakers are both former UW Husky players: Nesby Glasgow, who also played for the Seahawks, and Deacon Demetrius Deke Devers. Emcee and hostess for the evening is Sonya Doswell. Bring a friend or two and enjoy an evening of fellowship and food while supporting the Seattle Lutheran High School Saints.” You can buy your ticket online – here’s the link.
WSDOT has just gone public with that new video showing a reroute of Alaskan Way that kicks in during the second week of May, preparing for Highway 99 tunnel work, and it’s likely to be of particular interest to people who use the downtown ferry terminal as well as pedestrian/bicycle path users. Here’s the detailed explanation.
Just got a note from James, who thought it might not be a bad idea for us to mention the May Day gatherings planned tomorrow, in case of traffic effects. At almost the same moment, an alert came in from Metro, and it’s the most matter-of-fact one we’ve seen, so here you go:
Transit service – and all traffic – in downtown Seattle will likely be delayed during the Tuesday afternoon commute and into the evening due to a May Day march and other activities. Bus riders should be prepared for transit service delays – and possible reroutes. This could affect bus service both on surface streets and possibly the transit tunnel.
One march is planned to leave the Central District at 5 p.m. and travel along South Jackson Street to Fourth Avenue to the Wells Fargo Building on Third Avenue between Madison and Marion streets. There could be additional May Day activities in other locations that could also delay or disrupt traffic and transit.
If possible, people may want to leave work early Tuesday. They should also give themselves extra time to travel through the downtown area. Metro may have to temporarily reroute buses if streets are closed or become blocked.
Metro will be using its Eye on the Metro Commute blog and Twitter account to do its best to keep customers informed about the transit disruptions on Tuesday afternoon and evening.
(SDOT also has an alert, mentioning that 2nd might have to be closed.) We of course will keep you updated here (and via the WSB Facebook page) too. Nothing major is planned in West Seattle tomorrow so far as we have heard.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
This week, we’re likely to learn a lot more about what’s envisioned for the 4724 California development on the ex-Petco site in The Junction.
For starters: 10 days after WSB first reported the plan, the “fact sheet” promised by developers is now available- see it here – and the official website’s look and contents have evolved too.
Most significantly, the development/ownership team continues to circulate for conversations with community leaders, as they were doing before we even found out about the proposal. West Seattle business-community members met with the development team last week. This time in addition to the “on the ground” Seattle team members from Urban Evolution (who talked with us for an April 20th followup), the group included Peter Wolff of The Wolff Company, the privately held firm that’s buying the site and funding the development.
The morning after that meeting, he sat down for an interview with WSB, in which he explained, among other things, why he believes his company is “the right firm to do this”:
1:37 PM: More Monday road woes – just got a text about a crash at 8th and Roxbury, and the 911 log shows a 2-unit dispatch. (added) It’s on the westbound side, and Seattle Police have called for extra reinforcement to manage traffic, so avoid the area if you can. We’re en route for a look.
1:52 PM UPDATE: Per the scanner, the crash is actually a hit-and-run, and they’re looking for a driver described as female, in her 30s, 5-foot-5, blue shirt, blue pants. Our crew just arrived and is trying to find out more about that, but also reports that westbound traffic is being diverted onto 7th SW. At least one person is hurt; an ambulance is on scene.
2:13 PM UPDATE: Added a photo. Police tell us that the car in the foreground, with the least damage, is the one whose driver left the scene; the one behind it, with more damage, is the one whose driver was taken to the hospital.
(Sunday photo by WSB editor Tracy Record)
Another successful dropoff event this past weekend – more successful than ever, in fact! Judy Pickens just shared this wrapup of how the Fauntleroy Church‘s Recycle Roundup on Sunday (WSB coverage here) turned out:
The West Seattle peninsula is surely sitting higher in the water today after residents brought a record 16 tons of recyclables to Sunday’s Recycle Roundup hosted by Fauntleroy Church and 1 Green Planet. With that much stuff returning to the resource stream, more cars surely fit in the garage and a few marriages may have been saved!
The crew packed every truck available with 16 tons of almost everything imaginable, from infant car seats to elder scooters, computers to fencing. To thank the church’s green committee for organizing the free event and providing a “Green Ideas” handout, recyclers tossed just over $1,400 in the donation basket.
The church will announce the fall event date soon so that area residents have ample notice to start sorting.
When we stopped by the Southwest Precinct at midmorning Saturday to check on Drug Take-Back Day (WSB coverage here), we saw a steady stream of people bringing in their unwanted/unneeded/expired medication. Big enough turnout, in fact, that according to an update on SPD Blotter, West Seattle’s precinct netted the biggest “take” on Take-Back Day – 238 pounds! Here are the citywide results.
According to a news release just in from Seattle Public Schools, another finalist has withdrawn from the superintendent search – Dr. Sandra Husk of Salem – which leaves José Banda of Anaheim (photo right). The School Board will vote on Wednesday, and, according to the news release, asked its president Michael DeBell to call Banda last night (UPDATED 11:02 AM after the news release, with more context on the 2 withdrawals; also UPDATED 11:13 AM with district clarification that the Banda decision was made before the Husk withdrawal)Read More
(Photo by Sam from Fleurt [WSB sponsor] – windblown flower petals cover a Fauntleroy street!)
From the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:
DONATE TO YOUR LOCAL FOOD BANKS! Today is the last day of the Feinstein Challenge, two months during which your donation to participating food banks goes further – here’s the story we originally published when the annual “challenge” began last month.
NORTHWEST CENTER DROPOFF NOW 7 DAYS A WEEK: As mentioned last week, the Northwest Center “Big Blue Truck” donation-dropoff spot in The Junction – 44th and Edmunds – is open EVERY day as of today (used to be Fri/Sat/Sun). Our previous story includes a link to the list of what they do and don’t accept.
WEST SEATTLE COOKING CLUB: Today’s theme for the dish you bring – “On a Bun”! 3 pm, Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW).
AFTERSCHOOL CLASSES AT ENRICHMENT ON ALKI: A new series of classes starts today after school – details here.
GET YOUR DANCE ON … with Balorico at Kenyon Hall, 6:30 pm. More on the listing page.
MEMORIAL AT VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: An annual tradition at West Seattle’s Vietnamese Cultural Center (2236 SW Orchard) is tonight – a vigil to remember the Vietnamese and U.S. soldiers who lost their lives fighting for freedom. The public’s welcome, with a special invitation extended to veterans; tonight at 7 pm. (Details here.)
FAMILY STORY TIME: Tonight at the Seattle Public Library‘s High Point branch (35th/Raymond), 7 pm.
FLAT EARTH SOCIETY DJ SESSION AT WEST 5: It’s a Monday night tradition – 9 pm at West 5, turntable time, described as: “Featuring a lineup of some luminous Seattle record junkies spinning the rarest and fairest vinyl from deep within their respective LP collections. Rare soul, garage, dirty-funk, J Pop, jazz and a smattering of world-stage psychedelia will be spinning at the popular lounge in the heart of West Seattle.” Tonight, it’s Chris Martin from Kinski and AMPBUZZ.
WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE DAY COUNTDOWN: 12 days away – 9 am-3 pm Saturday, May 12th. We expect as usual to have the map available a week in advance so you can find out who’s having a sale near you (if you’re not a seller!) and plan your wanderings that day – keep watch here, on the WSCGSD website, on the WSCGSD Facebook page, and on the WSB Facebook page.
(Latest “live” picture looking at eastbound WS Bridge – refresh page for newest image)
TRAFFIC NOTE #1: As announced last week, today’s the day SDOT plans to inspect the west end of the West Seattle Bridge – the Fauntleroy Expressway section, which has been getting an earthquake-safety retrofit since last year – which means “rolling slowdowns” between 8 am and 3 pm. Here again is how they explain it:
The inspection team will establish short-term lane closures of the right-hand lane using truck-mounted traffic warning devices. The inspection will begin near West Seattle and move westbound. The inspection team will make short-term (15 minutes) stops at any given location along the bridge deck. After completing the westbound route the team will then inspect eastbound, toward Downtown Seattle, also along the right hand lane. The entire inspection will be completed by 3:00 p.m.
TRAFFIC NOTE #2, ADDED AT 7:26 AM: Not sure how long this will last, but we just caught word of a truck crash on northbound I-5 at the Ship Canal Bridge that is causing problems through downtown – so if you usually take I-5, be forewarned, it’s slower going right now, and traffic reporters are advising 99 as an alternative, so that may be busier than usual.
8:06 AM UPDATE: WSDOT says the I-5 crash scene is clear now, but the backup will take a while longer to clear since it’s heavy-traffic commute time.
At the end of our last update on the “rechannelization” proposed for a stretch of Delridge Way SW, in connection with changes along Metro Route 120, we mentioned having asked SDOT for clearer graphics, since the ones linked from Metro’s website weren’t optimal. Jeff Bender, who had represented the city at last Tuesday’s open house at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (WSB coverage here), has provided a few that do seem much clearer, which might be helpful if you haven’t commented on the proposal yet. Above, the cross-section; he also provided PDFs that show the entire stretch of the proposed rechannelization from Delridge/Andover to Delridge/Oregon – here they are in simple black/white, or here, as an aerial-photo overlay. Though the reconfiguration discussion has been bundled into the bus-route discussion so far, Bender told us there is a separate SDOT review process under way right now – here’s how to get your comments to them. He did not indicate a deadline, but we’d say “ASAP,” since Metro had set this past Friday for its deadline to receive overall comments on the proposed Route 120 changes, including removal of some stops.
(WSB photo from 2010 fishing event)
The West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club will be back at Seacrest again this spring with an annual tradition – the Kids’ Fishing Pond. We just confirmed with club president Greg Boyd today that the event is set for 8 am-11 am on Saturday, May 12th. (Go early BEFORE West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 9 am-3 pm!) As they do every year, the club will stock a portable pond at Seacrest, providing poles and bait, “first 100 kids or till the fish run out.” Here’s the listing on the Sportsmen’s Club website calendar.
You never know what you are going to find on the beach at low tide. This closeup look at an octopus arm found south of Alki Point a few days ago is courtesy of West Seattle photographer Machel Spence. She even found the upper mandible of its beak – the only hard part of an octopus’s body:
Probably not the same octopus – but two weeks ago, Jana and her kids found an intact octopus on a local beach; we’d been saving those photos – click ahead if you’re interested in seeing one:Read More
Some streets have prefab “Neighborhood Watch” signs. Some are homemade. Then, there’s this:
Alicia shared that photo from 30th/Henderson in Westwood last night, saying it had just “popped up.” (We went over to verify – it’s still there.) Wondering if any specific recent incident had inspired the sign, we checked the city’s “incident response” map; nearest notable crime shown on the map is a burglary attempt early last Tuesday one block east, in which, according to the police report, the victim tried to scare off the suspect, who was reportedly trying to kick their door in, “by yelling for his wife to call the police and get his gun.” The report also says police arrested a suspect nearby.
The future of the ex-Genesee Hill Elementary campus remains a central point of concern for people who live in the area, according to what the Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council heard last Thursday during its first general meeting after several months’ hiatus. The meeting’s main point was to hone in on defining the neighborhood’s attributes and how to add to them with an eye to the future. Attributes, according to attendees: Friendliness, small-town feeling despite big-city proximity, exceptional views from the hills and bluffs. What’s needed: More park space where people can gather – the neighborhood has beautiful, forested Schmitz Park, of course, but it doesn’t have any sort of “commons” area. Also suggested – more events like last year’s neighborhood hoedown. About the campus: The community gardens maintained by volunteers on the west side are a point of pride, and despite the fencing that the district’s been putting up, neighbors hope access will remain. (In the longer term, the district is considering asking for money in its upcoming BEX IV levy to build a new Schmitz Park Elementary on the Genesee Hill campus.) To stay in touch with Genesee-Schmitz, keep an eye on the GSNC website.
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