Happening today/tonight: Lowest May tide; two councils
LOWEST TIDE: Beach Drive Blog notes it’ll be another great afternoon for low-tide lovers. According to the May tables, it’s the lowest tide of the month.
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: Two guests are scheduled tonight at this monthly meeting of representatives from neighborhood groups and key organizations: West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, and Fauntleroy resident Ron Richardson, best known for the sign outside his house but currently advocating for public campaign financing (he stopped to talk with us about it at the Sustainable West Seattle Festival last weekend). The meeting’s at 7 pm in the President’s Board Room @ South Seattle Community College, all welcome.
NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: Its monthly meeting is at 6:30 tonight at the Delridge Library, and one of the items on the agenda is West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day — the NDNC is one of two local neighborhood groups having fundraising sales on Saturday; its sale at 2512 SW Genesee will raise money for tot-size equipment at Cottage Grove Park, while elsewhere in east West Seattle, the Pigeon Point Neighborhood is having a sale at 19th/Genesee to raise money for Cooper Elementary. Back to NDNC and its meeting tonight – lots more to be discussed, too.
Tonight’s edition of “you write the caption”
Been meaning for a few days to photograph the “Developer’s Dream” real-estate sign on that house (1774 Alki; can’t find a listing or price online). Didn’t notice the smaller sign till we downloaded the pic.
Yet more reader reports of unusual activity
Seems like it’s important to say first, we’re not sharing these types of reader reports in the spirit of having everyone freak out about the motives of every stranger they encounter. But from the comments and discussions, there seems to be power in people sharing this kind of information in this way — even if it’s just to gain knowledge and reassurance. Maybe someone out there knows what these incidents were really about and can enlighten everyone. So, toward that end, two more unusual sightings — this time involving people taking pictures — read on:Read More
Fire callout in 9400 block of 16th SW
Listed on 911 log as “fire in single-family residence”; just heard scanner traffic describing it as “exterior house fire.” Thanks to Todd for the tip. Off to check it out. Map here. 8:58 PM UPDATE: Our person at the scene says it’s no big deal; the fire crews “didn’t even break out the hoses.” However, traffic’s being rerouted – for now, anyway – at 16th/Barton.
Of ants and power lines …
Just wanted to let you know we’ve got messages out on this one, though we’d love to hear from anyone who attended the meeting we didn’t hear about till it was too late (we’ve managed to get onto dozens of media-info lists but sometimes something slips through) – The community-organizing group ACORN held some kind of rally tonight in North Delridge about a reported problem involving Seattle City Light and ants. Lisa kindly transcribed the flyer as follows:
“[ACORN logo] DANGER!!! Ant Infestations and Faulty Power Lines threaten our safety!
Join us to tell City Light that we will not put up with it any more. We’re taking action to address unsafe electrical conditions and ant infestations on county property!! We need YOU there!!
What: Meeting with Seattle City Light’s Supt.
When: Tues., May 6th, 5 pm
Where: 4716 26th Ave SW
Tell your neighbors, bring your family and friends! Wear red for solidarity! Call ACORN today 206.723.5845
During our recent wave of doorknocker reports, a couple folks mentioned ACORN stopping by, but nothing about ants, power poles, or rallies. The e-mails we got about the event tonight (thank you!) but not in time for us to go. (Went to the area a little while ago but no trace of whatever was going on a few hours earlier.) We’ll let you know what we find out tomorrow.
Updates: WS murder-suicide couple IDs; jail site list trimmed
*We first told you yesterday morning about the deaths of a couple in a 2nd/Roxbury home. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office confirms it was a case of murder-suicide; 48-year-old Traci Creamer, the first person murdered in West Seattle in 2008, died of head injuries and suspected strangulation blamed on her 44-year-old husband Jeffrey Creamer, whose death from wrist wounds was ruled a suicide. As we reported yesterday, police say they had a long history of domestic violence. Online court records we checked appear to bear that out.
*The city’s list of more than 30 potential jail sites for misdemeanor offenders is down to four, and two are on the eastern edge of West Seattle: Highland Park Way/W. Marginal Way (map) and 9501 Myers Way (map). According to Delridge Neighborhood Services Center Coordinator Ron Angeles, community meetings are expected this summer.
Another Junction development reactivates: Design Review set
A year after the last time we had a reason to mention it (and two years after its “early design” review), 4532 42nd SW (just a stone’s throw north of the QFC/Office Depot megaproject) — shown at left — is active again, with a Design Review Board meeting date appearing today on the city website. The date is June 12; the time and place aren’t listed yet, it’s that new. The project is still described on its city page as “6-story structure containing 3,085 sq. ft. of commercial space at ground level and 35 residential units above. Parking for 54 vehicles.” We’ve now added it to our clickable Junction/Triangle major development (and major real-estate listings) map:
View Larger Map
By the way, if you care to bookmark it, we’ve given that map a permanent home on this WSB page-in-progress.
Green light for improvements to the “other” viaduct
That’s a rendering of what the new 4th Avenue offramp from the eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct — the elevated roadway between the high bridge and I-5 — will look like. It’s one of the renderings we got after meeting a few days ago with city reps to find out full details on the two-phase project. We’re still working on the in-depth report but wanted to show you this after hearing that city councilmembers okayed the first installment of $ for the project today. This ramp will be the first part of the project to be built, starting this fall, and will exit onto 4th (with southbound and northbound turning options) across from City Light HQ. The second part of the project involves widening the SSV by building an entirely new section on its north side:
Our forthcoming report will also include details on the different impacts drivers will experience during the SSV work — with major closures for the lower part of Spokane Street, especially during the widening project, which is still more than a year away.
Door-to-door concerns update: Comcast response
After our post last night about an alleged Comcast employee turning up at WSB HQ at 7 pm, we promised to follow up with Comcast. We got help from a Comcast communications manager we’ve actually met, Alki resident Shauna Causey, who sent this:
Safety and security are extremely important to us especially in WS where Larry Carpenter recently ran into some questionable folks at his door.
We have 3,200 Comcast employees in Washington State so Comcast employees are in West Seattle on a daily basis. Since I don’t have a name, I can’t speak for the employee that you met, although there are several simple guidelines our neighbors can use to recognize legitimate Comcast workers. Keep in mind that many of these guidelines are also useful for identifying employees of other companies that have reason to work inside or outside a home, such as the power company, gas company or other phone company.
Comcast requires that all employees and contract employees wear ID badges at all times. No employee or contract employee is allowed to work inside or outside a customers’ home without an official company ID badge, which will include a photo ID and company logo. Customers can ask to see a Comcast representative’s ID badge. Comcast employees also have clearly visible uniforms, including shirts, hats and vests all of which have the Comcast logo.
All vehicles driven by employees and contract employees are clearly marked with Comcast logos and identification. A Comcast contractor’s van will say: Comcast Authorized Contractor.
Comcast will not ask to work in your home without your prior knowledge. If a customer is unsure of work that is to be performed inside or outside their home, they should call 1-800-COMCAST to verify the work.
If a customer is unsure or uncomfortable, remember there is always the option to ask the person to leave. All Comcast employees and contract employees know that they are to leave the premises when instructed to do so by the resident. Our employees know that legitimate appointments can always be rescheduled.
If you have feedback, questions or concerns, we want to know about them. You can email We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com or feel free to e-mail me directly at Shauna_Causey@cable.comcast.com. We’re always looking to improve our customer service and we would love to hear your feedback.
Zippy’s Giant Burgers, by the numbers
Rahel Cook, co-owner of the wildly popular new Zippy’s Giant Burgers with Blaine “Zippy” Cook, just posted this update in comments under our last post – since most people won’t go back to see comments on a two-day old post, we’re highlighting it here:
Thanks all for the raves! We certainly were blown away, to say the least about the turnout!
Here are the stats:
Thursday = 55 lbs of beef, gone by 6 pm!
Friday = 66 lbs of beef, gone by 7 pm!
Saturday = 88 lbs of beef, gone by 8:30 pm!
We finally ran out of buns on Sunday and that’s what kept us from opening. We got a
big delivery of buns on Monday, but yet again, we sold out by 8 pm! …
Thank you all for showing up and supporting your local Burger business. Keep on
coming and don’t be afraid to tell us what you like or don’t like!
Here comes day 5!
ps. We’ll be closed on Mother’s Day as we all have mothers and I’m one, too. We’d
like to celebrate all moms! :)
By the way, in a separate comment in the same spot, Rahel also is asking if anyone’s interested in their compostable food waste.
Welcoming a new WSB sponsor: Clutter Caddy
Spring, and a person’s thoughts turn to … getting organized! (Certainly the participants in Saturday’s West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day can identify.) 
Getting organized is what our newest sponsor, Clutter Caddy, is all about. Here’s what Pamela Street (photo left) wants you to know about her business: “Expand your time and ease the stress in your life by letting ‘someone else’ tame your pesky projects, enabling you time to enjoy life! Clutter Caddy, your professional organizer, wants to do just that for you!!! Pamela Street, longtime West Seattle resident, has been rolling up her sleeves for over five years to make environments more stress free. However, if her Mom is to be believed, she started organizing in her crib. Her pragmatic approach to organizing allows clients to embrace life-changing habits that bring functional order to their surroundings. Through many years supporting large groups of individuals in a work environment, she has acquired a depth of experience that brings practicality to both large and small projects. With a sense of humor, her professional non-judgmental style will provide the insight to jumpstart your most challenging projects. Clutter Caddy offers a wide range of services to help you:
* Organize your home, office or auto to help you be more productive, finding items you want when you want them.
* Assist in small and large moves, specializing in downsizing for the empty nesters and getting the most out of small spaces for new condo owners.
* Plan and execute celebrations from cozy dinner parties to gala events.
Book your services now with Clutter Caddy, or purchase a Gift Certificate for someone that could use a helpful hand organizing their home or doing spring cleaning. Mention this posting when booking two hours or more before May 30th, 2008 and receive 10% off the hourly rate. Visit the evolving web site at www.cluttercaddy.biz, e-mail at cluttercaddy@yahoo.com or call 206-851-3848 for an appointment. Weekend and evening appointments are available.” Thanks to Clutter Caddy and our other advertisers for supporting WSB; if you’re interested in joining them, here’s where to start.
Event updates: Art Walk history, Garage Sale Day progress
ART WALK THIS THURSDAY: Another record number of participants — 29, from Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) in the north, where you’ll find a reception Thursday night for the Jewels in May show — to Bubbles on Delridge in the east, to West Seattle Nursery in the south. Here’s the official map; more info on the Art Walk blog. 6-9 pm Thursday, lots going on as the Art Walk expands.
WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE THIS SATURDAY: The official map of all 140-plus locations (still doublechecking to make sure we haven’t missed anyone, before we get an accurate count) 
is just about ready to print and will be available Thursday as promised – online (and clickable!) at westseattlegaragesale.com, where we are posting ongoing updates as preparations continue, or preprinted and available for pickup at 11 West Seattle locations: Alki Community Center, Admiral Library, Cafe Rozella, Capers, Delridge Library, Fauntleroy YMCA, Hotwire Coffee, Senior Center of West Seattle, Southwest Library, West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, West Seattle Family YMCA. Sale sites are literally all over the map, from Alki to Arbor Heights, from Fauntleroy to Pigeon Point to Westwood, and every place inbetween; more than a few fundraisers, too, including the Log House Museum, Community School of West Seattle, Kiwanis of West Seattle, Pigeon Point Neighborhood raising money for Cooper School, North Delridge Neighborhood raising money for tot play equipment at Cottage Grove Park, Homeward Pet, Breast Cancer 3-Day, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Alki UCC … You’ll see it all on The Map. And tomorrow, a special Garage Sale Day pitch from local neighborhood leaders working on disaster preparedness
And another eyebrow-raising pitch
Not to harp too long on a theme, but this one just hit the inbox and seemed sharable:
There seems to be a theme going around with suspicious door-to-door sales people but just wanted to make another mention of Icon Security. At about 7:30 or so we had a young woman come to the door saying that she was from Icon. My husband answered the door and she asked it he was the “man of the house.” He said that he was and she then looked him over and said “you’re looking really good, I hope that your wife isn’t here.” He was rather taken aback especially considering he was wearing flannel pants and ratty old T-shirt. She then started asking about our security system and if it was wireless saying that they could offer us a better deal. He told her we were happy with our service and started closing the door and she left. I remembered that Icon has been mentioned on the blog before so I just thought I would say that they were out again. If these people are legitimate they really need to work on their sales pitch, they seem really sleazy. We called the police and reported this. We live in Arbor Heights.
Door-knocker at WSB HQ: Do we e-mail ourselves about it?
Some young guy, white, brown hair, Comcast polo shirt, badge around his neck, claiming to be from Comcast doing a customer survey. We’ll check with their PR department tomorrow if they were legit, but seriously, do they send people around door-to-door at 7 pm asking for opinions on their service? We told him through the window, just send around a link to an online survey and we’d be happy to fill it out.
Bridge backup update: Debris cleared, traffic clearing
4:13 PM UPDATE: As you can see in the traffic-cam shot below, looks like the crunch is easing:
ORIGINAL REPORT: The westbound commute may be a mess well into the formal start of rush hour. Just talked to Peg Nielsen at SDOT; she says it’ll be another half-hour or so till all the bricks and debris a truck spilled on the westbound high bridge at the high rise are cleared — here are photos of the truck (first one thanks to Josh Sutton from the West Seattle YMCA, another sponsor turned tipster; second one thanks to WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli, who cameraphoned it while driving by):
With traffic already backed up all the way to I-5, that means a real commute crunch. She says the low bridge problem briefly reported earlier this afternoon IS FIXED, so you can try the low bridge, or take 99 south past The Bridge and double back through White Center. We’ll keep you updated. Here’s the view westbound at the trouble spot:
Traffic alert: Spilled bricks back up high bridge, westbound
Thanks to Rhonda Porter of The Mortgage Porter (WSB sponsor) for the tip: Accident on the westbound high bridge, west side of the rise, apparently involving a truck that lost its load. You can see the backup from this SDOT camera pointing east:
3:06 PM EYEWITNESS UPDATE FROM WSB TEAM MEMBER: What the truck spilled was a load of bricks, so the cleanup’s taking a while. The westbound backup goes all the way back to the exit from I-5.
Denny-Sealth: Westwood Council’s unusual request for help
As the Denny-Sealth project (archived WSB coverage here) proceeds, the Westwood Neighborhood Council expects to be working closely with the district and the city on plans for the site where Denny Middle School will be demolished after its replacement is built next to Chief Sealth High School. Because of that, WNC president Steve Fischer has just put out the call for “someone who has drawing skills … (and can) translate ideas into visual concept presentations for open space and pedestrian amenities in the neighborhood. We’d like help in creating approximately three drawings that can help us communicate how important it is for the neighborhood to have open space for everyone who lives in and visits Westwood.” The required skills are further clarified as:
We really need someone who can help with some hand-drawing with pencil or pen. We don’t need technical plan level drawings, just conceptual drawings that are attractive and that can communicate some ideas and alternatives. An understanding of landscape/ architectural standards would be useful, but not necessary. As well, if someone wants to use a computer program to create some ideas, that would be fine too.
If you can help, or want to find out more, contact Susan, at csmclain@hotmail.com.
Crime Watch: West Seattle’s first 2008 murder
One more report from the Southwest Precinct: This one somehow went all but unnoticed over the weekend — a man and woman found dead in a home on the southeastern edge of West Seattle, an apparent case of murder-suicide. Police say they answered a call at 9:45 am Saturday about a man found dead with wrist wounds at a home in the 2nd/Roxbury vicinity (map); relatives said they were worried about his wife, who no one had heard from in a while — officers subsequently found her dead, “locked in the family van.” Police say the couple had a history of domestic violence. No further details, but that would make her West Seattle’s first murder victim of 2008 (our area had three in 2007; all three suspects were still awaiting trial at last check).
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