Interim director chosen for Department of Neighborhoods

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| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

Just announced by the city:

Bernadette (Bernie) Matsuno, a former deputy director of the Department of Neighborhoods and a well-known community activist and volunteer, will return as interim director of the department, Mayor Mike McGinn announced.

(City-published photo above.) Read on for the rest of the announcement:Read More

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No formal ID yet, but family says Bainbridge body was Jeremy Peck

| West Seattle people | West Seattle police

(Wednesday photo by Tristan Baurick/Kitsap Sun; used with permission)
3:07 PM: Following up on yesterday’s discovery of a body washing up on Bainbridge Island (WSB coverage here), drawing the interest of Seattle Police: Though the King County Medical Examiner told us a few minutes ago that they’re not formally identifying the body that washed up on Bainbridge yet – they just brought it to their facility today – other sources including KIRO-TV say the family has been told it’s 24-year-old Jeremy Peck. We just talked with Seattle Police Det. Mark Jamieson, who told WSB that while they also have not been officially notified it’s Jeremy, if and when they do get that notification, what they do next still depends on what the cause of death turns out to be – whether it was homicide, accidental, or suicide. It’s been exactly two weeks since our first story on Jeremy’s disappearance; family and friends say he was last seen early the morning of December 24th.

5:07 PM UPDATE: The Medical Examiner’s Office puts out a daily media update each afternoon; today’s update ends with a note that the “the body (found) in Puget Sound” will be examined tomorrow (Friday).

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West Seattle schools: Floor-level excitement @ Community School

January 20, 2011 1:46 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

There’s excitement under every footstep at the Community School of West Seattle. Sarah Airhart shares the photos and the news, along with words of thanks:

The Community of School of West Seattle wants to let everyone know that after a year of planning, auctioning, fundraising and grant writing and 3 weeks of being closed to remodel, our new Marmoleum floors and children’s bathrooms are finally IN.

They are so beautiful and we are so thankful to all our friends and families in and around the West Seattle community that made this happen. We raised $17,000 at our auction and were awarded a grant for $21,000 we worked hard and saved our pennies to make this happen. Any past alumni families (and anyone who just wants to come and look around) are invited to stop by to our Open House on January 22nd between 10 am and 2 pm – we can’t wait to show you what YOU helped make happen. It truly does take a village!

CSWS is at 9450 22nd SW.

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WEdesign: Welcoming a new West Seattle Blog sponsor

January 20, 2011 12:14 pm

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| Environment | Gardening | West Seattle news

Today we’re welcoming one of our newest WSB sponsors, WEdesign, which is taking the traditional WSB opportunity to tell you about what they do: WEdesign Inc. works with homeowners to design and install custom landscapes that fit their lifestyle and budget while promoting a healthy, sustainable relationship with the environment. We combine custom stone work and carpentry with edible landscaping, backyard wildlife habitat and drought tolerant plantings. Drip irrigation, low-voltage lighting, rain gardens and custom play spaces round out our favorite functional gardens. Clients appreciate most that our collaborative design process results in a landscape that meets their needs in an ecological way. Our installation team is well-trained and experienced, offering a high level of craftsmanship and responsive customer service. We pride ourselves in creating landscapes that homeowners and their families can enjoy for years to come.

WEdesign is a member of Seattle Tilth, the Coalition of Organic Landscapers and a 5-star EnviroStar business. For more than 12 years, owner Michael Lockman has been a member of the West Seattle community, where he lives with his wife and two daughters. You’ll find WEdesign online at we-design.net; e-mail michael@we-design.net or call 206-459-7022.

We thank WEdesign for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

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One car leaves a trail of destruction in North Delridge

January 20, 2011 11:28 am

| 17 COMMENTS

| Crime | Delridge | West Seattle news

No injuries were reported, but a trail of destruction was left behind by one driver along 26th SW in North Delridge late last night. This morning, you can still see not only damaged vehicles (photo below) but also where the car hit signs, from a traffic circle to a corner (above) [2:10 PM NOTE: In comments, neighbors say the traffic circle, with the bent sign in the background, bore the brunt of last night’s street damage, and the tire tracks etc. at right are from a previous crash].

One neighbor, Ruby, relates a firsthand account from her partner, who saw the whole thing:

She had just parked her car and was trying to retrieve her bag from the passenger side of the car when she heard a car coming down the street at a very high speed. (She guessed around 50 mph). She honked several times in an effort to say ‘slow down!’, and the car blew past her, launched itself over the traffic circle, wrecked into the Telecom truck, and hit a van on the opposite side of the street. She ran after the car trying to get a plate and thinking the car would eventually just stop because it had so much damage…. But it didn’t… it kept going and hit several more cars before the driver abandoned it somewhere south of the park.

A police search followed, ending with no indication of the driver having turned up (we have inquiries out again this morning to see if they ever did, and will add any information we get). Anyone who suffered damage is also urged to contact police, if they haven’t already. Ruby says they heard of at least four cars that were damaged; seven were mentioned by Chris, who tweeted about this last night.

ADDED 3:22 PM: According to Lt. Ron Smith from the Southwest Precinct, five vehicles in all have reported damage from this incident so far. He says that despite a search involving two K-9 teams, the driver and vehicle were not found, though a possible license plate was reported, so investigators are working on that.

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Morgan Community Assoc.: CSO, SPD, SDOT …and a festival!

January 20, 2011 9:27 am

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| Environment | West Seattle news

Will King County have to use “eminent domain” – taking possession of property, whether the owner likes it or not – to build a storage tank across from Lowman Beach Park, reducing combined sewer overflows (CSO)? The newest developments in the CSO project were a hot topic during Wednesday night’s quarterly Morgan Community Association meeting, which also tackled traffic safety and a request related to this summer’s Morgan Community Festival, plus a guest appearance by local police leadership. Details ahead!

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West Seattle Thursday: WSHS ‘Choice Night,’ Denny music, more

January 20, 2011 8:12 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

School events top our quick look at today/tonight’s highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar; it’s Choice Night/Information Night at West Seattle High School, 6:30-8 pm (new PTSA newsletter‘s online too); Denny International Middle School‘s winter concert is in the auditorium at Chief Sealth International High School, 7 pm; families interested in the new Bright Horizons child-care center that will open in Link (WSB sponsor) are invited to an information session at Cupcake Royale, 4-7 pm (more info here); also in The Junction, the local office of AAA Washington is marking its “Million Member Celebration” with a day of refreshments, discounts and contests, 9 am-6:30 pm (4701 42nd SW). … Tonight’s major community meeting: Alki Community Council, with Topic A “where do we go from here?” 7 pm, Alki UCC (here’s our preview).

TRAFFIC ALERT: Another closure tonight for the WESTBOUND Spokane Street Viaduct (the I-5 to SR-99 section of the West Seattle Bridge), 10 pm-5:30 am.

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West Seattle scene: Moonrise, as tides rise to winter’s highest

January 20, 2011 1:03 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Thanks to JayDee for the photo from Wednesday night’s moonrise, a perfect bookend to a day that began with an incredible moonset (nice views from Beach Drive Blog too). This full moon is bringing another round of very high tides – this morning, it’s up to 12.8 feet just before 6 am; this round will peak with the highest tides this winter, 13.3-foot high tides (per the chart we use) in the 7 am vicinity Saturday and Sunday. The state, by the way, is looking for your photos of these so-called “king tides.” P.S. Back to the moonrise – check out this breathtaking non-WS view sent via Twitter.

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‘Break shame and silence’: Online survey needs more voices

January 20, 2011 12:01 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news

Award-winning West Seattleite Bettie Williams-Watson is putting out the call tonight for more participation in an online survey with a very specific target group:

Greater Seattle area Black/African American girls and women, ages 14-25, about their impact experiences with domestic and sexual violence in predominantly African American faith communities (churches, mosques, temples or synagogues) in South, Central, or West Seattle.

It’s a project of her Multi-Communities (MIC) organization, with funding from a city grant. They’ve been seeking respondents since spring of last year and have extended the survey to February 10th in hopes of finding more. The official announcement cites federal statistics saying, “Black females experienced intimate partner violence at a rate 35% higher than that of white females, and about 22 times the rate of women of other races,” adding, “The aim of this survey is to not only shed more light on these issues, but to break shame and silence, and increase individual and community awareness. What happens here impacts all of us. No one is immune from abuse.” Be forewarned, that the some of the questions in the survey are explicit; if you, or someone you know, qualifies to take it, Williams-Watson hopes you/they will. Here’s the link.

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Steve Bushaw murder trial: Will one defendant change his plea?

January 19, 2011 9:41 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Crime | West Seattle news

Continuing our coverage of the murder trial in the February 2009 West Seattle shooting death of Steve Bushaw: Court is now in recess till 9 am Monday. That originally was projected as the date testimony would begin, but this case hasn’t even gotten to jury selection yet, because of an ongoing series of twists and turns among the four original defendants. Two of them have pleaded guilty in the past two weeks, but one of them may withdraw that plea when court resumes Monday. Details ahead:Read More

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Sustainable West Seattle: Sailing, wildlife, 2010 in review

January 19, 2011 7:31 pm

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| Sustainable West Seattle | West Seattle news

Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

About 30 people gathered for Sustainable West Seattle‘s monthly Community Forum on Tuesday night at Coffee to a Tea with Sugar in the Alaska Junction (the event’s original venue, the Senior Center of West Seattle, was unavailable at the last minute).

Although the group’s “volunteer fair” format couldn’t happen Tuesday night because of space/time limitations related to the venue change, it was a busy night of “annual reports” for 2010, and guest presentations from the West Seattle Wildlife Habitat Project and the Salish Sea Trading Co-op.

Highlights on what’s been accomplished – and what’s coming up, plus the lineup of new SWS leadership, ahead:Read More

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Bainbridge body: No Seattle Police comment so far; local searchers ‘remain hopeful’

January 19, 2011 2:18 pm

| 9 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

(Added 4:09 pm: Photo by Tristan Baurick/Kitsap Sun; used with permission)
2:18 PM: Through the comments following our latest story on the search for missing 24-year-old West Seattleite Jeremy Peck, we learned of an investigation on Bainbridge Island – a body, believed to be male, washed up today, and the Kitsap Sun reports that Bainbridge Police are working with Seattle Police. Commenters wondered, is there any link to the Jeremy Peck search? We have checked with Seattle Police’s media unit, which is in turn checking with detectives, and with Seattle Police’s West Seattle leadership, through the Southwest Precinct; Capt. Steve Paulsen says they haven’t heard anything. The Kitsap Sun’s latest update says their county’s medical examiner is handling the case and will be responsible for identification. Again, there is nothing so far that says there’s any relation, except that Bainbridge police are quoted as saying it might be related to a Seattle missing-persons case, and that the body may have been in the water two or three weeks; we wanted to let you know we are checking. Our latest update on the Jeremy Peck search is here; we just added a news release sent by organizers of this Sunday’s vigil.

3:45 PM UPDATE: Commenting via e-mail, Jeremy Peck’s longtime friend Ben Doty, who is helping lead search effort, told WSB, “At this time, we’re aware of what happened in Bainbridge Island. Nothing has been confirmed. We remain hopeful.”

11:06 PM UPDATE: KING5 picked up the story tonight; here’s their link. The Sun has updated to say that the King County Medical Examiner now has possession of the Bainbridge body and will announce the ID if/when that’s available. In their comment section, another case of a young adult man missing about the same period of time was brought up – a 25-year-old soldier who jumped off the Tacoma Narrows Bridge a few days before Christmas.

THURSDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: The King County Medical Examiner’s Office just got the body today, according to both a KCME spokesperson and Seattle Police spokesperson Det. Mark Jamieson. The official ID has not yet been determined nor made public. Until it is, and until cause of death is determined, according to Det. Jamieson, police’s next move won’t be clear – for example, even if it is Jeremy Peck, was it homicide, suicide, or an accident? All that is part of what the KC Medical Examiner is looking at right now.

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West Seattle restaurants: El Chupacabra expanding to Alki

January 19, 2011 1:43 pm

| 33 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

A sighting of El Chupacabra on Alki is expected soon – but it won’t be fodder for summoning paranormal investigators – it’ll be a reason to dine and drink. Shortly after Casa Feliz closed on the lower level of 2620 Alki Avenue SW (photo above added 4:18 pm), brown paper went up and tips came into the WSB inbox asking “what’s moving in?” This afternoon, we have the answer. We spoke with Aaron Wright, whose El Chupacabra Mexican restaurant and bar is about to celebrate its 5th anniversary on Phinney Ridge – he is hoping to open the Alki branch before that mid-March date. Read on for details:Read More

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West Seattle Crime Prevention Council: Surprise!

January 19, 2011 1:20 pm

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| Crime | Safety | Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Council | West Seattle news

“Welcome to 2011!” With that, West Seattle Crime Prevention Council president Dot Beard opened last night’s meeting at the Southwest Precinct, the first WSCPC meeting in two months – and her last one as president. As the meeting began, more than 15 people were on hand, not counting three uniformed SPD reps – Lt. Pierre Davis and Community Police Team Officers Jonathan Kiehn and Ken Mazzuca – plus soon-to-retire Crime Prevention Coordinator Benjamin Kinlow. Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen joined in time to deliver his assessment of the latest West Seattle crime trends – which included at least one surprise. That and other meeting toplines, after the jump:Read More

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This morning’s moonset, as seen from West Seattle

January 19, 2011 11:59 am

| 21 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Hope you were up early (or late) enough to see this morning’s amazing moonset. In case you weren’t – Gatewood photographer Long Bach Nguyen has shared two beautiful photos (thanks!).

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In case you’re wondering: Spokane St. Viaduct progress

January 19, 2011 9:40 am

| 7 COMMENTS

| Spokane St. Viaduct project | West Seattle news

With another round of Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project construction closures starting tonight – 10 pm-5 am for the next three nights, WESTBOUND ONLY (which means no bridge access from I-5 or Beacon Hill), and 3 more nights next week – you might be wondering, how’s the construction work going? We have the answer, and a few photos, from SDOT‘s Marybeth Turner:

As 2011 gets underway, work on the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project remains on schedule.

The contractor recently completed more than half of all the columns needed to support the widened portion of the deck that extends 42 feet further to the north. The crews have installed nearly three quarters of all support shafts that support the columns (there are a total of 154 in the design).

In addition, the contractor is nearly finished pouring the concrete deck from Fifth Avenue to Second Avenue. The intersection of Fourth Avenue and lower Spokane Street – long impacted by construction under the viaduct – should be restored to two lanes in each direction by March, though there may be occasional short-term lane restrictions after that.

Meanwhile, the big milestone for this year, the opening of the new First Avenue on-and off-ramp, is expected to be reached before the end of this year. We expect the total project to be completed in the spring of 2012.

That ramp will not be a replication of the one that was closed and demolished last year – its entrance is further north on 1st Avenue South, and it’s a two-way ramp. If you missed previous coverage of the project, we have an extensive archive dating back almost three years (find it here).

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West Seattle Wednesday: Traffic, All-Access, Delridge, Morgan…

January 19, 2011 6:03 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar: Spokane Street Viaduct construction closures – WESTBOUND ONLY – start tonight through Friday night, then again Jan. 24-26 (details here) … The next round of All-Access afterschool classes at Youngstown Arts Center starts today, with orientation at 3:30 pm, then a 4-6 pm kickoff event … Chief Sealth International High School‘s PTSA meets at 7 tonight, room 222 … 2 major community meetings: Delridge Neighborhoods District Council at Youngstown, with “Strategic Delridge” discussion 6-7 pm, meeting intros/reports start at 7, scheduled guests from the Department of Neighborhoods and West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network; the Morgan Community Association is at The Kenney, 7 pm, full agenda online here … And if you see this early, the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle‘s breakfast briefing by a West Seattle bird expert is at 7 am at Be’s Restaurant (here’s our preview). … Outside WS: SDOT invites you to tonight’s seawall meeting.

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Jeremy Peck search update: Volunteers plan what’s next

January 19, 2011 3:44 am

| 21 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

About 15 people gathered at West Seattle’s Chelan Café to plot the next steps in the search for 24-year-old Jeremy Peck, last seen in the early-morning hours of December 24th. Among them, in the next photo L to R, a longtime friend of Jeremy’s, Ben Doty, who graduated West Seattle High School with him in 2005, and Jeremy’s birth father Stephan Peck:

Though Jeremy was raised by his uncle John Peck, Stephan came to West Seattle more than a week ago to help search for him; tomorrow he has to go home to Wenatchee.

“I am trying to think positive about this. But, sometimes, I … I’d just like him to come home. Or just show up anywhere.”

And Jeremy could be anywhere at this point. Parks have been checked, it was noted at the meeting, like Schmitz Park and Me-Kwa-Mooks, but volunteers acknowledge they could use more coordination. WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz, covering the meeting, reports that they say only one or two people were covering each of these areas; they feel as if they need to search all of them again with many more people scouring the brush and hillsides. “We’re not professionally trained and the areas are so vast, and some are steep hills … We need somebody to coordinate those search efforts,” Doty said.

If you can help with that, look for signup sheets at this Sunday’s vigil (starting at 4:30 outside Admiral Pub, where Jeremy was reported to have last been seen).

Also in the works, an account (at Wells Fargo) where money can be donated for the search efforts, which have now grown into an operation with its own checklists – flyers, banners, posters, a lawyer (to get cell-phone records made public), search dogs, private detective, psychic. And they’re working to set up a website where information will be available as well as a PayPal account for donations, in addition to the “Find Jeremy Peck” Facebook page.

If you’ve missed the original coverage or need a reminder: Jeremy is 6’2″, about 177 pounds, has medium brown hair and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing blue jeans, tennis shoes, and a black waist length coat over a gray hoodie sweatshirt.

An anonymous tip line has been created for anyone with information: 206-478-4905.

ADDED MIDDAY WEDNESDAY: The group has sent an official news release about Sunday’s vigil – after the jump:Read More

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Roxhill Elementary celebrates 4 newly awarded grants

January 18, 2011 10:58 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Story and photos by Ellen Cedergreen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

A big celebration at Roxhill Elementary today as it received a total of 4 grants, all from the Seattle Education Foundation, awarded in a dignitaries-laden ceremony that also marked grants for schools elsewhere in the district.

Roxhill teachers applied for and were selected for the grants after they submitted proposals to Seattle Education Foundation’s board. Up to $20,000 in grant money is distributed annually among Seattle Public Schools, whose superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson was among those at Roxhill this morning for the presentation.

Last year, Roxhill was given $1,000 (the foundation’s maximum allowance for a single grant) for audio library books and equipment. This year, they’ll get to expand the impact with grants going to fund a variety of areas including: physical education, kindergarten, and reading intervention.

Today’s ceremony at Roxhill happened during the morning assembly. Students carried out their regular assembly business items; student of the month awards, reminders to be persistent and responsible, school chant, and birthdays. But the end portion of the assembly brought a big surprise in the form of a really big check.

Students got to hear a short and humorous presentation by Roxhill alum and foundation board member, Jim Oftebro, who shared a story from his tenure as a PE teacher at Roxhill. Then Dr. Goodloe-Johnson, and School Board member Steve Sundquist helped present the check along with the general manager at SEF’s Foundation House, Farron Bernhardt. Bernhardt told WSB he’s gratified to see the whole process go full circle, all the way from Foundation House back to the schools. Roxhill students gave big cheers at the prospect of more field trips, PE, and art.

Read on for more about the specific grants, and the Seattle Education Foundation:Read More

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Tonight’s high-school basketball: Sealth-RB; WSHS-Lakeside

January 18, 2011 9:53 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Final scores are in from tonight’s two high-school basketball games in West Seattle – in a #1-vs.-#2 division matchup, Chief Sealth International High School fell short after a thriller vs. Rainier Beach, 67-63 (more to come, including video); meantime, West Seattle High School lost to visiting Lakeside, 68-61.

ADDED: Notes from the Sealth-Rainier Beach game, and a video clip, after the jump:Read More

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West Seattle scene: First Westside Symphony rehearsal of the year

January 18, 2011 9:29 pm

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| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Thanks to Sha’ari from Inner Listening for sharing that photo from tonight’s Westside Symphony rehearsal, during the first West Seattle Community Orchestras sessions of the year. That’s founder Toni Reineke conducting, at top left. Sha’ari says, “Lots of strings but we still need another French horn, trombone, a couple trumpets, another bassoon, two oboes, a bass trombone and a couple celli. No more flutes please – we’ve got a whole cocktail already. It’s fun! Join us next Tues.” The orchestras rehearse on Tuesdays, Chief Sealth International High School – the schedule can be found, with lots more info, on their website.

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Ahead this week: Alki Community Council’s future on the line

January 18, 2011 8:05 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| How to help | West Seattle news

If you think Alki should have an active Community Council, this is the time to step up. Shared by Larry Carpenter on behalf of the ACC:

What: Alki Community Council Meeting
When: Thursday, January 20, 7:00-8:30 PM
Where: Alki UCC Church Parlor, corner of 62nd Ave & Hinds
Who: ACC Members and Residents of Alki

Agenda: Open Forum on Future Course of the Council

Declines in ACC membership and increasing costs associated with producing a quarterly newsletter and holding monthly meetings have created a dire fiscal situation for the Council. The main agenda item will be a presentation of the current financial situation followed by discussion of possible options:

a. Raise dues to cover expenses or continue as is until treasury is exhausted
b. Discontinue mailing the Beacon but continue to maintain website at reduced cost and distribute minutes electronically
c.. Discontinue monthly ACC meetings, with ACC board continuing to meet monthly/bimonthly and the Council meeting 1/2 times a year for family social event and election of board
d.. Seek merger of ACC with a nearby neighborhood group with similar goals

Please try to make this meeting if you think it’s important that the Council continue to play a role in Alki. A quorum of 15 members is needed to make decisions on the Council’s future.

This will be the ACC’s first meeting in two months. Here’s our report on the previous one.

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Steve Bushaw murder trial: Pre-jury-selection week 2 begins

January 18, 2011 6:46 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Crime | West Seattle news

(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)>
Today officially marked the start of the second week of murder-trial proceedings in the case of the deadly West Seattle shooting two years ago of Steve Bushaw – though the case hasn’t even gone to jury selection yet, and might not for a while, depending on how things proceed. Previously, two of the four original defendants – the two accused of actually shooting Bushaw along California SW between Alaska and Edmunds late Super Bowl Sunday night in 2009 – pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of second-degree murder. Danny O’Neal entered his plea eight days ago, as proceedings began; John Sylve pleaded guilty last Friday. The other two were in court today – from left, alleged mastermind Bryce Huber and alleged getaway driver Brandon Chaney:

They remain charged with first-degree murder and with conspiracy to commit murder. After a brief session this morning, King County Superior Court Judge Joan DuBuque recessed court until 1:30 this afternoon to review some of the information that had emerged; the afternoon session was even shorter, and she recessed the case until 9 tomorrow morning. While there were many twists in this morning’s open discussion involving lawyers, the prosecutor and Judge DuBuque, the most noteworthy one involved the statement given by Sylve as part of his plea agreement. It was indicated that his statement might conflict with the one that the other confessed triggerman, O’Neal, gave days earlier. And that, the prosecutor said, might change the deal to recommend the low end of the sentencing range for him. We’ll find out what’s next when court resumes tomorrow morning.

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