West Seattle Crime Watch: Break-in, arrests at closed school

(thanks to Stephanie for the photo)
Dorcas sent first word of major police activity near Fairmount Playfield (map), and then Stephanie provided a the follow-up report (also confirmed via scanner) that an apparent break-in at closed (though opening soon for summer school) Fairmount Park Elementary is involved, and arrests are reported. We’re on the way to find out more in person. UPDATE: On site, we’ve counted nine cruisers and at least one Seattle Public Schools vehicle – good area to avoid till things settle down.

From the scanner, sounds like four suspects are in custody and one more is being sought. 5:50 PM UPDATE: Two more suspects in custody, per both the scanner and what we’re seeing on scene. Officers are still checking inside the school for more. We’re told at the scene that an alarm was tripped, leading to the successful response.

8:17 PM UPDATE: SPDBlotter has a little more information – all six suspects are described as male, 2 “young adults” and 4 “juveniles.” Looks like no property damage in the building, the report says.

Looking for a job? Two free workshops in West Seattle

April 14, 2009 4:43 pm
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 |   Delridge | West Seattle news

WorkSource of Seattle-King County is presenting two workshops at Delridge Community Center: Tomorrow, 6:30-7:30 pm, “Developing a Job Search Plan for Tough Times“; Wednesday 4/22, 6:30-7:30 pm, “Online Job Search and Resume Techniques.” Number to call to RSVP – 206-684-7423.

Heads up: Helicopter over southeast West Seattle tomorrow

Since nothing fills our inbox as fast as a more-than-fleeting helicopter sighting over West Seattle, we wanted to take the chance to give you ADVANCE WARNING about helicopter activity that’s planned tomorrow and may be visible from southeast West Seattle and White Center/Top Hat. The announcement comes from the Seattle Fire Department, about training tomorrow at 9401 Myers Way S (map here; Google Street View image below):


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The Seattle Fire Department and Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office will conduct helicopter emergency operations training at the City of Seattle Joint Training Facility [9401 Myers Way S; map] on Wednesday, April 15. The drill will prepare both agencies to work together in the event of a regional disaster.

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office UH-1H Bell “Huey” Helicopter is equipped with a rescue hoist, which will be used to practice lowering and raising teams of four firefighters onto and off of the roof of a training building. They will also test their skills at lowering equipment onto the roof. The techniques practiced in the drill will help prepare both agencies for special rescue operations including fires in high rise buildings, emergencies aboard ships or other hard-to reach locations and for delivering equipment and resources in the event of a major earthquake or other natural disaster.

Time frame, you ask? Early afternoon in particular, since the media’s been invited to photograph this around 1:30 tomorrow. P.S. Just heard on the Mariners broadcast that this Saturday is the Salute to Armed Forces, with pregame activity starting around 5:30 pm – a flyover is mentioned in the promotional blurbs, and those tend to have West Seattle in the flight path to Safeco – last year, we briefly caught the choppers on video.

The Kenney saves Seaview: “We heard what the community said”

April 14, 2009 3:08 pm
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 |   Development | The Kenney | West Seattle news

Looks like whatever form The Kenney‘s $150 million redevelopment project ultimately takes, some form of that familiar view (photographed this afternoon from SW Myrtle, alongside Gatewood Elementary) will live on. Original plans for the project — as first reported here last August — called for demolishing the century-old, cupola-topped building. Community members and Southwest Design Review Board reps alike had called for The Kenney to find a way to save it — and the biggest glimmer of hope, as we reported last week, came in the announcement of the upcoming Morgan Community Association/Fauntleroy Community Association neighborhood meeting to update The Kenney’s project: The groups had been told a way had been found to move it up to the Fauntleroy/Myrtle corner. That’s now confirmed and explained by Kenney CEO Kevin McFeely, who tells WSB that the next round of “early design” for the project will include ONLY options that save The Seaview: “Basically, it’s feasible to move it to a separate spot on the campus. A company came out to give us a bid. (The new plans are) a pretty significant departure from our last (Design Review) go-round, so we’re bringing another set of drawings, and (MoCA and FCA) offered to have a community meeting where people could come give their comments, vent a bit, share thoughts and concerns. … What we heard at (all previous meetings) was, please figure out a way to save this building. The other main concern was the massing on the perimeter, and whether there’s anything we could do to mitigate that … (moving the Seaview building) would give us the opportunity to do that by putting more of the buildings in the ‘bowl’ in the center. We heard what the community said, we heard what the board said, we hope they’ll be very happy with (the new proposal).” Your first chance to see it will be the community meeting at 7:30 pm May 4 at Fauntleroy Church; then the Design Review Board meeting is at 6:30 pm May 14, location TBA. (One more Kenney note – Its skilled-nursing facility has just received a 5-star rating in a national review; read about it here.)

Welcoming a new WSB sponsor: West Seattle’s Mural Apartments

This is the first of the current wave of Junction megaprojects to be finished — just one month from now, residents will start moving in, and its storefronts will start to open. Today, as WSB welcomes Mural Apartments (4727 42nd SW; map; ) as a sponsor, we have photos and information to bring you from a tour we joined last Friday, even as crews put the finishing touches on residential and retail – you are welcome to book a tour too (935-0676). Here’s a sneak peek inside one of the model units they’re showing now:

Read on to see what else we saw, and found out, including new information about Mural‘s ground-floor businesses:Read More

West Seattle projects in first wave of approved Parks Levy spending

The City Council Parks Committee meeting that’s under way now included a major milestone: Approval for the first spending in connection with the Parks Levy approved by voters last fall – more than $24 million in all. This includes some West Seattle projects, such as the start of design work for the extra park space that will be created on the new “lid” of West Seattle Reservoir in Westcrest Park, $1 million in renovations for the Camp Long Lodge (left), $3 million for Delridge Playfield artificial turf, and $170,000 for Fairmount Playfield renovations including play-equipment replacement. The full list of projects can be found in the official legislation approved by the committee this morning (which goes to the full Council next week). Earlier in this morning’s meeting, the committee — chaired by West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen – listened to a Parks Department presentation addressing concerns about artificial turf on Seattle playfields (including 12 existing installations as well as the aforementioned Delridge plan); Parks staffers noted that the city’s preferred supplier provides a product with no lead, while adding that only one city playfield has turf with lead (Genesee, in southeast Seattle), and said the advantages of artificial turf include year-round usability and lower maintenance costs.

Get your garage sale on: Two this weekend (and then, WSCGSD)

April 14, 2009 11:16 am
|    Comments Off on Get your garage sale on: Two this weekend (and then, WSCGSD)
 |   Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle parks | West Seattle religion

As registration rolls on for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day (coming up Saturday 5/9 – be part of The Big Map and regional promotion! – get in on the fun at westseattlegaragesale.com, 11 days left to register), we just got word of another big church sale, starting this Friday, and they’re still looking for donations: St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church (next to West Seattle High School) has its rummage sale this Friday-Saturday, April 17-18, and again the following Friday-Saturday, 4/24-4/25, 9 am-3 pm all four days. Got something to donate? Call the church at 937-4545. (This Saturday — one day only — also features a big sale and car wash at Alki Community Center; call ACC at 684-7430 for the scoop.) Never mind the wintry weather (sunbreak as we type, actually) – it’s time for spring cleaning – and sale season!

West Seattle Helpline’s relaunched Clothesline almost ready to go

April 14, 2009 10:33 am
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 |   Arbor Heights | How to help | West Seattle news

At right, that’s West Seattle Helpline executive director Anna Fern marshaling volunteers this morning at Hillcrest Presbyterian Church in Arbor Heights, as they sort and arrange donated clothes in preparation for the reopening of Helpline’s clothing bank, Clothesline, this Friday. Local churches (including Holy Rosary, home parish to some of the volunteers helping this morning) and even the Inspire book club, have already donated clothes — the bags in the foreground were collected at a club gathering:

Hillcrest churchgoers can bring donations when they come to church; everybody else is asked to bring donations to the Helpline’s office at 35th/Morgan (map), which is staffed Monday through Friday from 7-8:30 am; Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-4 pm; Wednesdays noon-6 pm. You can also call 206.932.4357 – which is the same number for people to call to make an appointment to “shop” at the Clothesline (for free), which Anna says is stocking kids and adult sizes, even shoes (currently, though, men’s clothing is limited).

Two more Helpline notes – Metropolitan Market has donated grocery bags for Clothesline “shoppers” – and the Taste of West Seattle fundraiser for Helpline (which provides emergency services for area families) is just one month away – May 14, The Hall at Fauntleroy; Anna says some tickets are still available — ticket info is on the Helpline website (or call that same number,

Happening tonight: Admiral, Fauntleroy neighborhoods meet

April 14, 2009 6:43 am
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 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

From the WSB Events calendar, two major neighborhood meetings tonight: Fauntleroy Community Association, 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy. Also: Admiral Neighborhood Association, 7 pm, Admiral Church, with guests including City Councilmember Sally Clark.

Pigeon Point Council: New chair; car-crime spree; cleanup plan

April 14, 2009 2:30 am
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 |   Crime | How to help | Pigeon Point | West Seattle news

That’s Andy Worline, just elected to chair the Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council in West Seattle’s northeasternmost neighborhood, taking the reins from Pete Spalding, who took over on an interim basis after Matt Swenson resigned six months ago. Andy’s election (by acclamation of all 20-plus attendees in the Cooper School cafeteria) came midway through a meeting that began with some reassurance from Southwest Precinct Lt. Steve Paulsen, invited by Pete because of a recent car-crime spree that rattled the neighborhood. Read on to hear what he had to say, along with details of the upcoming Pigeon Point Spring Clean event, and more:Read More

Mariners’ home opener tomorrow: The Kid, The Traffic, The Taxi

That’s a little of what we used to call “raw video” in the TV business, where West Seattle-based broadcaster New York Vinnie and your editor here used to work together. NY Vinnie got that video behind the scenes on the field at Safeco today as Ken Griffey Jr. got ready for tomorrow’s Seattle Mariners home opener against the Angels; we’re using it to remind you about some traffic and travel notes: Game time is 3:40 pm; Vinnie notes that “if you are coming from West Seattle, leave extra time, as there is major road construction going on on 1st Avenue between Spokane Street and the ballpark.” The King County Water Taxi‘s an option, since it promises extra night runs to get you home from Mariners games (with late shuttle-bus runs too); see the schedule here (and find it atop the WSB Traffic page, any time).

Changes to Metro Route 128? Special county meeting set

April 13, 2009 10:30 pm
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 |   Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

This Friday, Metro is set to announce proposed changes to more than two dozen bus routes, including 128, which runs between the Admiral District and Southcenter. These changes are linked to the impending start of Link light rail; you’ll get a chance to comment at a special evening meeting of two County Council committees, set for 6:30 pm April 28 at the County Courthouse downtown. According to today’s update, county councilmembers are expected to vote within the next month and a half, and any approved changes could take effect as soon as September. (We’ll see Friday, if not sooner, if the package of proposed changes also includes the addition of Route 50, with a Delridge-to-Junction leg, as previously discussed.)

West Seattle Crime Watch: Two burglaries; sideswipe hit-and-run

First, a West Seattle Crime Watch update – if you saw our first report this morning about the Senior Center burglary, take another look – we added a surveillance-cam screengrab later, provided by police. Now, two even newer burglaries – Rob and Naomi e-mailed to say it happened to their home in Sunrise Heights this afternoon:

Our home in the 7500 block of 32nd Avenue SW [map] was broken into today sometime between Noon and 4 PM. They stole a TV and other items like jewelry that’s more of a sentimental value than monetary. If anyone saw anything or if anyone seems stuff dumped on the road, please post! Thanks and keep watch on yourselves and neighbors!

And from Richard and Brenda:

Our neighbor in the 3400 block of 47th (along the west side of Madison Middle School) [map] had a break-in today. A wedding ring, lap top, and electronics were stolen. The police said that there have been a series of break-ins in the area.

Also, from the WSB Forums, another hit-and-run sideswipe – this time near 50th and Edmunds [map].

More West Seattle barbecue: Brickyard BBQ coming to Admiral


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Five months after OK Corral opened in the Triangle area, it’s about to get competition in the West Seattle barbecue business: Brickyard BBQ is coming to 2310 California SW (map), just north of Admiral Pub. West Seattleite Don Kriley says he and brother Dan are hoping to open the restaurant June 1st. It’ll be take-out and sit-down, Don tells WSB; they’re planning to build a seating area to facilitate the latter. He says this will be their first venture in the restaurant business. Side note: After talking briefly to Dan, we realized why the address (which we first noticed while perusing liquor-license applications) looked so familiar: A development proposed for that address has been in the works for a while and even went through Design Review in 2006-2007. We’ll be checking into its status separately.

1 year in the works, Coffee at the Heights about to open

futurecoffee.jpgIt’s been one year and five days since we first told you about Coffee at the Heights, the espresso shop that the proprietors of PB&J Textiles have been working on at their shop’s former location in Sunrise Heights (7349 35th SW; here’s a map). As is often the case for new food/drink establishments in particular, it’s been a bit of a bumpy road, but they are finally on the verge of opening – here’s the latest from proprietors Paul and David:

We are ready for our final inspections. Tuesday is plumbing and electrical, and if there are no issues then we can schedule the final health inspection. Once that passes, we are open. Our grand opening will start May 1 and run for 30 days with all of our drawings on May 31st! … Grand prize winner is a coffee drink for a day for a year!

In the meantime, Paul and David are looking for artists who might want to show their work in the new shop – they would love to hear from you ASAP – their number at PB&J Textiles is 206-243-3053.

West Seattle Weather Watch: Hail!

Almost pea-sized. OK, call it split-pea sized. 3:22 PM: Shower’s over – not enough to completely blanket the ground, but as the photo above shows, a festive icy highlight for the mossed-over patio bricks here at WSB HQ. Forecast says hail possible “this evening.”

Four candidates to be evaluated for interim King County Executive

April 13, 2009 2:06 pm
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 |   West Seattle news

Just in from King County – the four names sent to the “blue ribbon committee” for evaluation are:

*Former County Councilmember Steve Hammond
*Former County Councilmember Louise Miller
*Former Seattle Mayor Charles Royer
*King County Executive Chief of Staff Kurt Triplett

The county executive’s job technically isn’t open yet, but it will be as soon as Ron Sims is confirmed to his new federal appointment; today’s development means that neither of the councilmembers running for the “permanent” position, Dow Constantine and Larry Phillips, will have the advantage of interim incumbency – Constantine had not indicated interest in the interim job, but Phillips had. (Side note: Looking for any interesting West Seattle-related history with the candidates, we turned up this item from Royer’s tenure.) Read on for the full news release about what happens next:Read More

Parking-rule alert: Deadline today to comment on RPZ changes

April 13, 2009 1:56 pm
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 |   West Seattle news

rpzsign.jpg5 pm today is the deadline to comment in the current review phase for proposed changes to the city’s Residential Parking Zone program. Fauntleroy is West Seattle’s major RPZ stronghold, largely to stave off major “park-and-hide” action related to the ferry dock, and Fauntleroy Community Association president Bruce Butterfield forwarded an alert to be sure that those who care about the proposed changes hear about them before it’s too late. Here are the key points from the city’s online summary of the major changes:

Proposed Major Changes
• Managing permit parking demand – Limit RPZ permit sales to 8 permits per household
• Permit eligibility–Require that vehicles be registered in resident’s name and permit-eligible address
• Major Institutions policy – For new or expanding major institutions, limit major institution permit payment to no more than two permits for first permit cycle
• RPZ location – Prohibition of RPZ implementation in downtown Seattle given high demand and multiple, competing needs for on-street parking
• Business and institution permit pilot program – Create a pilot program that allows eligible employees in the Sound Transit LINK Light Rail Initial Segment to purchase permits
• Guest permits– Create single-day guest pass in addition to biennial permit
• New RPZ zone creation process – Change technical and community engagement requirements. Parking study must generally demonstrate at least 75% parking occupancy along affected blocks, and 50% non-resident vehicles. Any proposed RPZ zone would need to contain at least 10 contiguous city blocks.
• Modifying and removing zones process – Change technical and community engagement requirements
• Parking enforcement – Create additional fines to address permit abuse
• Customer service – Create on-line permit payment and eligibility checks for permit holders
• Director’s Rule –Replace existing resolution with procedures in Director’s Rule

This document also includes the language that would change in the city code. Also, the name Residential Parking Zone is to change to “Restricted Parking Zone.” This round of public comment is not your final chance to have a say – City Council briefings, among other things, are coming up – but it’s an important stage in the process; rpzparking@seattle.gov is the place to e-mail a comment by 5 pm today. Since the City Council will ultimately vote on this, their contact information is here (and note that two councilmembers are appearing at community-group meetings in West Seattle this week — Sally Clark at Admiral Neighborhood Association tomorrow, Tom Rasmussen at Morgan Community Association on Wednesday, more information on this week’s meeting slate here).

City budget cuts’ West Seattle effects include Fire Station 32 delay

One week after the city’s finance director warned that budget cuts would be forthcoming because of a $40 million-plus revenue shortfall, we just got first word of what will be affected. First major West Seattle effect: The project to replace Fire Station 32 in The Junction is likely on hold till at least 2011. Read on for more details, and what else was revealed in this morning’s briefing:Read More

West Seattle Crime Watch: Costly burglary at Senior Center

We first got a tip about this last week but couldn’t get it confirmed until today; now we’ve talked with both Southwest Precinct Detective Nick Bauer and Senior Center of West Seattle director Karen Sisson, and here’s what we can tell you: Police are investigating a costly break-in that also left behind some serious damage at the Senior Center HQ in The Junction. It happened sometime last Sunday night/early Monday. Sisson told WSB this morning that the burglars got into the center’s 1950s era safe and stole the equivalent of $5,000, including $2,500 in Safeway gift cards and $400 in postage stamps. But that’s not the Senior Center’s only loss – at least $3,000 in repairs are needed to office doors and walls damaged by the burglar/s, including what the police report described as two 2-foot holes in plasterboard in corridor walls. Locked file cabinets were broken into as well, even one, according to the police report, related to the Meals on Wheels program. No arrests so far; it’s the second prominent Junction nonprofit hit recently — the American Legion hall was broken into a week earlier. Police don’t know at this point if the two burglaries are related. (P.S. We are following up to see whether there’s anything specifically the Senior Center needs to have donated because of this – will add to the story, but in the meantime, they take donations year-round, and there’s even an online-donation link from this SC of WS page.) ADDED MONDAY AFTERNOON: Police have provided a surveillance-camera framegrab – see above left – they hope might help solve the break-in. Call 911 if you have any idea who it might be.

City budget crunch: Briefing coming up this morning

April 13, 2009 9:06 am
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

One week ago, we reported from City Hall as city finance director Dwight Dively briefed reporters, and then City Councilmembers, on changes in the revenue forecast, since less money’s coming in than expected. This morning, as noted then, we’ll get the first public report on how that might affect city projects – Dively will be back before the council’s Budget Committee at 10:30 am; you can watch live via Seattle Channel (online at seattlechannel.org or on-air, channel 21).

11:04 AM UPDATE: The document that Dively is reviewing with councilmembers right now can be seen here. He’s specifically discussing budget cuts to be made in “capital” projects because of reduced revenue from the Real Estate Excise Tax – examples so far, $750,000 less for the library system.

The week ahead: Neighborhood groups, California Place Park #3

April 12, 2009 10:31 pm
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 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Much happening this week. Major highlights, from the WSB Events calendar:

MONDAY Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council. 7 pm, Cooper Elementary. Agenda topics include electing a new chair and discussing public safety in the wake of recent incidents from car prowls to the incident in which police shot a dog.

TUESDAYFauntleroy Community Association, 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy. Also: Admiral Neighborhood Association, 7 pm, Admiral Church, special guests include City Councilmember Sally Clark.

WEDNESDAYMorgan Community Association, 7 pm, The Kenney. Big agenda, including Fauntleroy restriping/repaving, RapidRide, The Kenney, Morgan Festival, Solstice Park, and a guest appearance by Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. Also that night: Southwest/Delridge District Councils‘ joint meeting, 7 pm, Youngstown Arts Center. Plus: “Gutenberg! The Musical” opens at ArtsWest (7:30 pm).

THURSDAY – Third and final “design workshop” for possible additions to California Place Park in North Admiral. 7 pm, Alki Community Center. Previous coverage archived here. Also, Sunrise Heights Neighborhood Association meets at the Southwest Precinct at 7 pm; agenda includes briefings on EC Hughes School and community awareness/education about sex offenders.

FRIDAYCoolMom Family Movie Night at Camp Long, 6:30 pm, “An Arctic Tale,” free.

SATURDAY – Huge slate of happenings, including Duwamish Alive! Earth Day events (cleanups followed by a festival @ Cooper Elementary), Healthy Kids Day at the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor), Alki Garage Sale/Car Wash at Alki Community Center, and a LOT more (full list on the calendar).

90 years old, yet so much is new: Hope Lutheran’s changes

April 12, 2009 7:45 pm
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle religion | West Seattle schools

As Easter Sunday worshipers entered Hope Lutheran Church in The Junction through those doors this morning, they went into the recently built lobby that literally bridges what was a gap between the church — celebrating its 90th anniversary this year — and Hope Lutheran School.

Not only is that space now a welcoming place for churchgoers, it also will be usable for public meetings with some more finishing touches. It’s part of Hope’s expansion/renovation construction project, which is mostly complete, 10 months after groundbreaking (WSB coverage here), though workers went back in during spring break earlier this month for more finishing touches. During that week, we toured the church and school with Bil Hood, shortly after reporting (March 28th story here) that Hope’s school has a new joint operating agreement with nearby Seattle Lutheran High School. Read on for more of what that’s about, more photos of Hope’s expansion/renovation work, and details on three chances this week for prospective families to take tours to learn more about the new Hope/Seattle Lutheran collaboration:Read More