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‘The Hole’ followups: Read the ruling; see who’s tracking its safety
November 18, 2010 3:58 pm
|      26 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

(Aerial view of The Hole, September 2009)
“The Hole” – the excavated Fauntleroy Place site at Alaska/Fauntleroy/39th – has been sitting there for two years, through the snowy winter of 2008-2009, the not-too-bad winter of 2009-2010, and the rainy-so-far fall of 2010, with no likelihood of any change in its status soon. That was addressed by King County Superior Court Judge Susan Craighead this past Monday when she issued her decision in the first major trial related to the stalled development (WSB coverage here). By the way, the full 53-page decision is now online; we’ve downloaded a copy and re-uploaded it so you can read it – go here. A judgment ordering foreclosure sale – a document that was not available while we were in court on Monday – is also online now; read it here. Meantime, we’ve looked into the safety issues she raised. As noted in our Monday report, Judge Craighead wrote:

… The ongoing viability of that excavation is in doubt. The shoring system that supports the excavation is by design a temporary system. It was neither designed nor intended to be in place for longterm suspension of the Project, and it has already been in place two years, well beyond its intended life span. The City of Seattle is the governing jurisdiction, and can at any time order that it be decommissioned and the excavation filled in, and if the owner fails to perform such an order, the City holds a $1 million cash deposit in pay for that work to be performed. … In the meantime, the shored excavation is subject to potential failure. Even a minor failure, where one of the shored walls shifted inward by just a matter of inches would result in substantial displacement and settlement of soils supporting adjacent streets, houses and other structures.

So, how specifically is it being “governed” by the city? We took the question to two city agencies. First, the Department of Planning and Development, which issues permits for projects. Spokesperson Bryan Stevens told WSB, “Both DPD and SDOT receive a monthly summary report of the shoring monitoring from the private geotechnical special inspector that was hired by the owner (The Riley Group took over from the shoring designer, Kleinfelder). The survey readings are taken twice a week. SDOT also has their inspectors visit the site periodically. To date, things have looked good.”

As for the question of the $1 million bond, and what it would take to order that an excavation like this be filled, Stevens referred us to SDOT, whose communications director Rick Sheridan provided answers to our questions. Read on for that part of the story:Read More

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Delridge District Council: Camp Long budget, DNDA primer, more…
November 18, 2010 1:59 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Delridge District Council | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

With the city budget days away from a final vote, its effect on the city Environmental Learning Center in West Seattle, Camp Long, was among the discussion items at last night’s Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting. While CL is *not* slated for closure, it will go through big changes, including the end of non-school-related educational programs, Sheila Brown explained to the DNDC (video clip below left):

The final budget vote is slated for Monday. Meantime, the leader of one of the council’s member organizations, Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association (DNDA), presented a primer on what DNDA is all about. In the above-right clip, you can see/hear DNDA executive director Derek Birnie‘s presentation. He explained that the organization’s about projects big – like affordable-housing developments – and small – like the Delridge “Night Market” events this summer and fall as part of the campaign to make healthier food more available in the area. In addition to listening to the presentation, you can find out a lot about DNDA at dnda.org.

Another huge topic of the night – Mayor Mike McGinn‘s impending visit to Delridge for a Community Forum on December 2nd (first reported here 2 weeks ago). DNDC attendees last night worked on ways to ensure the mayor would hear about central topics of community concern – maybe even preparing a briefing paper to get to him. The Delridge-area concerns that were mentioned last night included the need for an east-west transit connection, economic-development funds, and greenbelt protection. The mayor’s event is set for 6-8 pm on December 2nd at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, and it’ll include a chance for you to learn about local community organizations as well as Q/A with the mayor..

The Delridge Neighborhoods District Council includes reps from community councils and major organizations around what the city calls the Delridge Neighborhoods District – mostly east West Seattle, from 35th SW eastward. Its December meeting will be a mostly social potluck, but business meetings are usually on the third Wednesday of the month, 7 pm, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW).

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Skin Care by Casey: Welcoming a new West Seattle Blog sponsor
November 18, 2010 12:13 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Today we’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor, Skin Care by Casey (grand-opening party this Saturday!). Here’s what proprietor Casey Ann would like to share about her business: She has re-designed a quaint oasis across from The Bohemian in the “mid-Junction” area. While this location may be a new venture, Casey’s 10 years of experience as an esthetician (two as a West Seattle business owner and resident), and her reputation for five-star service follows her there. She is committed to providing results-oriented skin care in a serene, relaxing and professional setting. Clients have come to count on Skin Care by Casey’s knowledge and experience to help guide them toward better understanding their skin and its functions. She specializes in top-of-the-line, advanced medical skin therapies such as micro-current, microdermabrasion, peels, mini, customized facials, full face and body waxing, make-up, body treatments, lash and brow tinting and sunless tanning. Her business is built upon developing trusting relationships and her visitors often feel they spent their time with a trusting, compassionate friend. Casey also cares deeply for the arts and giving back to her community, incorporating both into her practice. At her new location, local art adorns the walls and she features handmade jewelry and artisan soaps. She donates 5% of her client’s service to a charity of their choice upon request.

This Saturday (November 20th) from noon-4pm, she invites the community to support a worthy cause and drop by The Bohemian for her grand-opening party. Featuring live music by Trevor Ras, food, wine, and more than $2,000 in giveaways from a variety of local businesses, all net proceeds will benefit Friends and Families of Violent Crimes Victims. To buy tickets visit brownpapertickets.com/event/136075.

Appointments with Skin Care by Casey can be made via e-mail or by phone (206-788-5677), and gift certificates are available. She always encourages newcomers to come in for a free consultation. Visit www.skincarebycasey.com for her full-service menu and all the details.

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

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RapidRide Triangle parking removal: ‘5 businesses (possibly) ruined’
November 18, 2010 10:52 am
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | Triangle | West Seattle news

By Karen Berge
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

More than 25 people filled a room at the Senior Center of West Seattle last night for a special meeting about the RapidRide “C Line” bus service’s potential effects on the West Seattle Triangle area.

This topic brought together members of the West Seattle Triangle planning advisory group, Metro Transit, Seattle Department of Transportation, project architects, local business owners, community leaders, and neighborhood residents.

A big concern for many is the potential elimination of street parking on SW Alaska between Fauntleroy Way SW and 35th Ave SW; that topic became the main point of discussion.

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Benefit for Sofia Goff and family at Kenyon Hall next Tuesday
November 18, 2010 9:28 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Announcements

One of several announcements we’ve received about the next fundraiser for former Café Revo proprietor Sofia Goff – this one is from Lou Magor at Kenyon Hall, which has donated space for the event next Tuesday:

Next Tuesday, November 23, from 2 to 10 P.M., we’re sponsoring an open house fundraiser for Sofia Goff, who until recently was the owner of Café Revo on Avalon.

Shortly after their restaurant opened, Sofia’s husband and business partner, Sean, passed away, leaving her with the decision of whether or not to continue. Thankfully, for all of us who had become accustomed to Revo’s uncommon cuisine, Sofia decided to give it a go.

Sadly, a few weeks ago, Sofia concluded that Café Revo must close its doors. Now she’s trying to pick up the pieces, and the folks at Kenyon Hall have jumped in to help.

Sofia is in danger of losing her home. The very thought of it brought tears to her eyes last week as she expressed the hope that her children, ages 10 and 16, having lost their father, and having watched their mother attempt unsuccessfully to save their family business, will somehow be able to continue to live in their home.

The open house at Kenyon Hall next Tuesday will be filled with good food and drink, provided by Sofia, her family, and several local restaurants, and continuous family-friendly entertainment, starting with Bob White and Andy Crow at the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ, playing classy accompaniments to classic silent films, and continuing with a variety of entertainers, all donating their time to help Sofia and her family brighten this dark period in their lives.

As plans become firm, I’ll send … more information, including an entertainment schedule and items to be included in a special silent auction. In the meantime, please join me in holding good thoughts for Sofia and her kids, and consider coming to Kenyon Hall sometime during the day or evening next Tuesday to lend a hand.

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West Seattle Thursday: Sealth auction; Alki council; spaghetti …
November 18, 2010 8:56 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(The Delridge Dragonfly Pavilion, by pye42, from the WSB Flickr group)
Some of what’s on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar for tonight: It’s the 2nd annual Seahawk Spirit Dinner and Auction at Chief Sealth International High School, starting with building tours at 4:30 pm – more here … Meet your Alki Community Center Advisory Council and ACC staff by joining them for a spaghetti dinner tonight – $2/person, $5 family, 6-8 pm … Also at the beach, the Alki Community Council meets at Alki UCC, 61st/Hinds, 7 pm, with a visit from nearby resident City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen on the agenda … The Sanislo Elementary PTA meets tonight, 6:30 pm … Got two hours to help WestSide Baby move 100,000 diapers, among other things? … 7-9 pm, RSVP details here … Of citywide interest given that the City Council’s budget vote is days away, the Seattle Parks Board meets tonight at Parks HQ downtown (agenda here), 7 pm, and while no formal budget briefing is planned, it’s bound to be part of the discussion; Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, chair of the council’s Parks Committee, will be there.

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2 forest events Friday: Toddler-friendly tree planting; eco-hike
November 18, 2010 8:08 am
|    Comments Off on 2 forest events Friday: Toddler-friendly tree planting; eco-hike
 |   Announcements

Two events in the West Duwamish Greenbelt tomorrow (Friday), announced by the Nature Consortium:

Toddler tree planting 10-11:30: Join us for a toddler and preschool age-friendly tree planting in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, Seattle’s largest remaining forest. We will plant (and name!) tree saplings in an area recently cleared of invasive blackberries, discover other hidden treasures of this amazing natural wonder, and hear about the history and the future of the forest from Mark (buphalo) Tomkiewicz, Forest Restoration Director for Nature Consortium. We provide tools and will be accommodating of the little ones! Feel free to bring kid-sized shovels.

Monthly hike at 1 pm: Join us for a free public guided hike in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, Seattle’s largest remaining forest. We will explore the hidden treasures of this amazing natural wonder, and hear about the history and the future of the forest from Nancy Whitlock, Executive Director for the Nature Consortium (and forest steward). Difficulty is mild. Inexperienced hikers, seniors, and babies in backpacks are welcome. Special note to Parents of toddlers and preschoolers: please be warned that this hike can be challenging for you if you are with a preschooler or two who walk down the hills but want to be carried up.

Both events will start by meeting at the 14th SW/SW Holly trailhead; extreme rain cancels; bring your own water bottle; granola bars will be provided. To RSVP for either one (or both!) – they’re free, by the way – call 206- 923-0853 or e-mail Lisa@naturec.org.

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West Seattleites air concerns about school assignment plan’s Year 2
November 18, 2010 3:10 am
|      20 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Seattle Public Schools managers said they were in the West Seattle High School commons Tuesday night to hear ideas from community members about how to continuing transitioning into the in-its-first-year Student Assignment Plan.

What they heard most loudly from the crowd of approximately 100 was that they needed to answer more questions before community members would be ready to offer suggestions.

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Chief Sealth sophomore Clint Hewitt chosen ‘Future Leader’
November 18, 2010 2:12 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Chief Sealth International High School sophomore Clint Hewitt is just back from four days at Disney World, but it wasn’t a vacation: He was one of just two students from our state (all participants nationwide are listed here) chosen to attend the Toro Future Leaders Forum, as part of The First Tee Golf Program. (Clint is at right in the top photo, with the 2 other Northwest participants, Griffin Dahem from Oregon and Haley Chinn of Mercer Island.) Clint’s proud mom Carrie Hewitt explains:

Clint is super-active in our community and most recently volunteered many hours for the Seattle Mariners and Rick Rizzs Toys For Kids annual auction dinner that took place at the Harbor Club in Bellevue just one week ago. He is an outstanding young man that we are so very proud of. …

Clint spent this past summer as one of the Interns for The First Tee of Greater Seattle, working at the Jefferson Golf Course (and just finished) a season of being on the Varsity Football Team for Chief Sealth.

Here’s a website explaining the Future Leaders Forum program. The First Tee, which is also about teaching leadership through programs associated with golf, has posted some photos from the Future Leaders Program on its Facebook page. (You can also find out about the local chapter by going here.)

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Dedication celebration set for new Fire Station 37
November 17, 2010 11:18 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Sunrise Heights | West Seattle news

The date is finally confirmed for the dedication celebration and public open house at new Fire Station 37 in Sunrise Heights: 11 am-1 pm Saturday, December 4th. You’ll be able to tour the new 35th/Holden building; kids’ activities are promised as well as free blood-pressure screenings and “life-saving door prizes.” The Engine 37 crew moved in a month and a half ago; the historic ex-Station 37 a few blocks north is expected to be sold, but since it’s a city landmark, it can’t be torn down. (Thanks to David Rosen for spotting the dedication invite online – no formal announcements have been sent around yet! ** Added 10:23 am Thursday – just got a postal-mail postcard with the same invite you see above.)

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Myrtle Reservoir Park update: Access before Thanksgiving?
November 17, 2010 10:11 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

“Construction of our new park is almost complete,” says a brand-new update on the Seattle Parks webpage for the under-construction Myrtle Reservoir Park (map). Thanks to Heather for pointing out the update, which bears today’s date; we hadn’t checked with project manager Virginia Hassinger since she reported in early October that there was at least another month of work left. The new update says in part:

In the next several days we will be testing and commissioning our irrigation system and doing final cleanup work.

We also will be installing temporary protective fencing and signs within the park to direct people away from the newly seeded lawn and to protect SPU facilities. We are working closely with SPU to install fencing as soon as possible.

Once these things are done we will selectively remove construction fencing at the entry pathways, opening the park pathways and play area to the public. Our goal is to provide public access to the new park before the Thanksgiving weekend.

The park’s been almost four years in the making – we started covering the process when the second round of meetings began in early 2008.

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Bird on a Wire Espresso expanding into Admiral District
November 17, 2010 7:40 pm
|      25 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS beverages

A few nights ago, Bird on a Wire Espresso in Westwood tweeted a mysterious few words about an upcoming presence in Admiral. We e-mailed a follow-up question; the reply came tonight, with this announcement:

Our little Bird has spread her wings!

We are joining sweet forces with Heavenly Pastry in the Admiral Junction … opening soon at 2604 California Ave SW!

We will offer all the same things you have grown to love at the “Mamma Bird.” Beer and wine may not happen right away, but our offerings will include Heavenly scones,

MORE DELICIOUS PASTRIES they can provide to us, sandwiches, soups, smoothies and delights from our current vendors. We will continue to use Raven’s Brew Coffee.

Stay tuned via our website, Facebook and Twitter for more information including actual opening date, hours of operation (we will open at 6 am weekdays) and more things to come!!!!

And YES, we will continue to operate at 3509 SW Henderson St!!

Heavenly Pastry closed its retail storefront just four weeks ago, while saying it would continuing to bake at that location.

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Transit in Seattle: Good? Bad? Neither? Here’s a survey
November 17, 2010 5:30 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

From SDOT, circulated by the city’s Junction-based Southwest District Coordinator Stan Lock:

SDOT is updating the Seattle Transit Master Plan and would like you to provide your input by completing a survey:

Want a better transit system? Tell SDOT what you’d like to see!

Getting around Seattle can be tricky — everyone has waited for a delayed bus in the rain, driven to work to save time, or needed room for just one more bike on the train. Maybe you wish the bus stopped closer to your house or was easier to get to on foot or by bike. We know you have ideas about how transit should be improved, so here’s a chance to share your take with the city.

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is updating Seattle’s Transit Master Plan, which will help to determine the city’s future investments in transit. As part of this process, SDOT is conducting a short survey to figure out what’s working and what isn’t in Seattle’s transit system. The survey takes less than 10 minutes and asks some basic questions about how you currently use transit and what you’d like to see improved. Throw in your two cents at
seattle.gov/transportation/transitmasterplan/survey and check out
seattle.gov/transportation/transitmasterplan.htm for more information
about the plan.

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West Seattle restaurants: Q&A with Avalon’s proprietor
November 17, 2010 3:19 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

When we first reported a week and a half ago that the former Café Revo in the Luna Park business district is being turned into a new restaurant called Avalon, we promised to pursue more information. And here it is; proprietor Deborah Breuler agreed to answer a few questions via e-mail:

BACKGROUND? “I was managing partner/Executive chef at Maggiano’s in Bellevue. I worked for them for ten years both here and L.A. Thomas and I both come from restaurant backgrounds. We met in Chicago while we were both working for Rick Bayless and Susan Goss in their American Regional Restaurant Zinfandel. I have opened 6 restaurants for other people; this will be my first as an owner.”

AVALON’S FOOD: “We will be focused on Pacific Northwest products with influences from the Mediterranean. I particularly love the foods of Morocco, Spain, France, and Italy. Some examples of that would be a Serrano ham, grilled pear with hazelnut mascarpone bruschetta, or lamb shank with prunes and almonds over blue bird grains emmer farro. Semolina lemon tart with whipped cream fraiche.”

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California ‘upzone’: No vote today – at least 2 more hearings
November 17, 2010 12:39 pm
|    Comments Off on California ‘upzone’: No vote today – at least 2 more hearings
 |   California Ave upzoning | West Seattle news

Three years and nine days after the first word of a proposal to change the zoning of a full block of California SW on the south end of the Admiral District, the proposal has finally reached the City Council, which has the final say.

(Screen grab from Seattle Channel stream of this morning’s hearing)
Its Committee on the Built Environment has just concluded its first hearing on the proposal to change the zoning along a block-plus of California SW (Hanford to Hinds) from NC1-30 to NC2-40, enabling larger businesses and taller buildings.

Despite the time it has taken for the proposal to get to this point, council staffer Michael Jenkins noted to the committee, “You are pressed for time on this” – it’s now close to the end of the 120-day period allotted for committee action. It’s been pushed off this long because the city recommendation on the proposal came right before fall – which happens to be when councilmembers are focused on budget matters; they have wrapped those up except for next Monday’s final budget vote, so that’s why they were able to take it up today.

No one was there for public comment (on this issue or anything else on the agenda) at today’s meeting. The council spent about half an hour listening to Jenkins’ presentation, involving the issues on which we’ve reported many times before (here’s our coverage archive). Clark summarized that the main issues seemed to her to be the height analysis – how would the upzoning really affect the area – and interpretation of whether this fits with the Admiral Neighborhood Plan. There were some technicalities bandied about regarding the “adopted” plan versus the “recognized” plan; Clark said she has always felt the entire “recognized” plan should be considered as such. Councilmember Sally Bagshaw suggested a “field trip” to the site; no date was set but Clark said that certainly was possible. Clark asked for clarification of whether the property owners who proposed this (Mike Gain and Roger Cayce) owned all the parcels (they don’t, though Jenkins didn’t have that information handy) or had a special agreement with other owners supporting the proposal.

Bottom line: There will be at least one more hearing in this committee – they are scheduling November 30th for oral arguments, and the people challenging the rezone (six appeals, largely involving dozens of nearby residents) will get 15 minutes to split among themselves, while those seeking it (and, since it recommended approval, the city Department of Planning and Development), will get 15 minutes. After that hearing, committee chair Clark said, they will decide if the committee is ready to vote on the request – or if they will schedule one more meeting on December 8th. Once this committee makes its decision, a full council vote would be next. (One note, the graphic on the screengrab above is erroneous; though the term appeared throughout the meeting stream, this is not a CONTRACT rezone, which would involve a specific project; this is a general rezone – differences explained here.)

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Strong showers en route
November 17, 2010 12:02 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

A “short-term forecast” alert is just out from the National Weather Service for the entire metro area (and then some):

A LINE OF SHOWERS EXTENDING FROM NORTHEAST OF THE PUGET SOUND REGION TO THE SOUTHWEST INTERIOR IS MOVING SLOWLY TO THE EAST. SOME OF THE SHOWERS HAVE BEEN HEAVY…WITH AMOUNTS BETWEEN A HALF TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH IN LESS THAN AN HOUR. SOME LOCALIZED PONDING OF WATER AND URBAN FLOODING IS POSSIBLE WITH THESE SHOWERS. THESE SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING.

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Alki Bakery followup: More from owner, landlord, manager…
November 17, 2010 10:33 am
|      63 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(Tuesday morning photo by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
Since our Monday night report on the Alki Bakery closure, a few developments – a couple of which were added to that report, a couple that were not. First – if you missed that story, to recap, the bakery closed without warning Monday night, with a note posted on the door by the company, saying in part, “Our lease has run its course and it’s not viable for us to renew at a rate that works for both Alki Bakery and our landlord.” Our interview request to the AB owner Kevin Piper has gone unanswered, though Nancy Leson at the Seattle Times has just published an update, writing that he said in e-mail:

Simply put, our lease on Alki Beach is about to expire and the economics of renewing the lease at a much higher rate does not work … We will do our best to find positions for our staff members in other locations.

The landlord, however, has commented publicly. As noted in an addition to our previous story, the property owner of record, Joanne Richey, died last summer; her daughter Barbara Wuerth posted last night on the newly created Save the Alki Bakery Facebook page, alluding to critical comments, saying:

I am the evil landlord. My family has owned this building since 1920. The closing was mutual, he has become much busier with his bakery in Kent. I toured it and was really impressed. I will miss his coffee but things change. His baked goods are still available in many groceries and restaurants.

We are seeking further comment from her, too. We have also had online exchanges with Sarah Holmes, longtime café manager, who has also commented here and elsewhere. In a comment last night, she says she’s planning to stop by at noon today to check out the notes on the door; she also told us last night that she received word of the impending shutdown “less than an hour” before her staff, and that she was offered a position at another AB outlet. She also has written on Save the Alki Bakery:

Thank You everyone…for your beautiful words and stories. It means the WORLD to the people who actually worked there. We will all miss the Bakery greatly…both as a job and as a home…♥ DO NOT be rude to the owners of the building, please, they have lost so very much in the recent past months. They did NOT ask for this or I’m sure want it….

No public hint so far of what’s next for the 61st/Alki building.

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West Seattle Wednesday: Traffic control, RapidRide, Delridge…
November 17, 2010 9:27 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Wednesday: Traffic control, RapidRide, Delridge…
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Another busy night for West Seattle meetings: If you are interested in neighborhood traffic control, you’re invited to a city informational meeting, 6:30 pm, West Seattle Library … The Triangle Advisory Group that’s been talking about streetscape and zoning in the area’s future will talk tonight with Metro about RapidRide‘s potential effects – including parking removal – in the area, 6 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle … Delridge Neighborhoods District Council has its monthly meeting tonight, 7 pm, Youngstown Arts Center, with a wide-ranging agenda including a look at where Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association is now and where it’s going … For the 2nd consecutive day at Endolyne Joe’s, 20% of sales benefit a local school – this time, Pathfinder K-8 … The West Seattle High School PTA meets tonight in the school library, 7 pm … That’s also the start time for a winter fashion show at Shadowland, presented by Junction boutiques Sweetie and Carmilia’s. P.S. As previewed here yesterday, a City Council committee meeting that’s about to start (9:30 am) will include the first council discussion of the Hinds-to-Hanford California SW “upzoning” proposal. You should be able to watch live at www.seattlechannel.org; it’s the last item on the agenda.

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Traffic alert: Crash at west end of Highland Park Way
November 17, 2010 8:36 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

We’ve received two reports that Highland Park Way is closed “at the top” because of a crash that is said to involve a school bus. Heading over to check – but in the meantime, so as not to panic anyone, we will note there is no such crash on the live 911 log, which would suggest no medics summoned because no injuries. Update to come. 8:50 AM: Checking the scene, and traffic is getting around in both directions, with the help of police, though the bus is still there. Adding a photo. Via Facebook, Erik said he was at the scene when it happened about an hour ago and a car and truck appeared to have been involved too. 9:18 AM: Scene clear, according to comments.

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Quick call for volunteer help tomorrow night at WestSide Baby
November 17, 2010 6:03 am
|    Comments Off on Quick call for volunteer help tomorrow night at WestSide Baby
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Got a few hours tomorrow (Thursday) night, 7-9 pm, to help WestSide Baby move 100,000 diapers (from their big Huggies donation) “in addition to other projects”? E-mail sarah@westsidebaby.org!

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The WSBeat: On the run but not on the run; laptop grabber…
November 17, 2010 1:30 am
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police | WSBeat

EDITOR’S NOTE: Though some categories of crime are down, that doesn’t mean local police aren’t busy. This is the seventh weekly installment of this new WSB feature, and now it has a name. If nothing else, some of the summaries may answer questions you had about police responses you saw in the past week or so …

By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog

From reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers:

*Around 6 p.m. Saturday, a call came in to 911 about a man running near 35th and Juneau with a large knife. Officers quickly found the man, who was fairly easy to spot, seeing that he was dressed in fatigues and carrying a machete. He was handcuffed and taken to the SW Precinct. An investigation soon showed that he was part of a group of military aficionados engaged in a scavenger hunt through the neighborhood.

*After placing an online ad to sell her computer (a MacBook Pro), a woman agreed to meet a potential buyer on Saturday evening at a fast-food restaurant at 35th SW/Avalon. As she pulled the computer from her bag so that he could examine it, the “potential buyer” grabbed it from her grasp and fled in a large dark-colored sedan driven by a woman.

(8 more summaries ahead:)Read More

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West Seattle Weather Watch: First breezy, then brisk
November 16, 2010 11:15 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Weather Watch: First breezy, then brisk
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Sunset on Beach Drive – not nearly as chilly as it’ll be in a few days, with the forecast still mentioning “snow showers” as a possibility for the weekend (no sooner than Friday night). But first, it’s likely to be breezy – up to 25 mph in tomorrow’s forecast. And there’s analysis of last night’s windstorm, plus a brief look ahead to snow prospects, on Cliff Mass‘s site right now.

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Burglaries down, police tell West Seattle Crime Prevention Council
November 16, 2010 9:38 pm
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 |   Crime | Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Council | West Seattle news

First topline from tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting at the Southwest Precinct: Crime is notably down. If you’ve noticed we’ve had fewer crime reports lately, it’s not that it’s going unreported – it’s just not happening, according to Capt. Steve Paulsen. Last week, only one burglary was reported in all of West Seattle, he said – bringing the total for the month so far to 11, compared to what would usually be 27 to 30 by midmonth. (We crosschecked with the online police reports – indeed, only one listed from last Wednesday through today.) The precinct commander cited “significant recent arrests” – people suspected of burglarizing homes by day and prowling cars by night, arrested thanks to what Capt. Paulsen described as “outstanding detective work” as well as alert citizens and timely reporting by victims. West Seattle is getting a reputation among thieves as a bad place to do business, he suggested – while promptly cautioning that an uptick in theft is likely within the next month as holiday shopping begins. Time-honored advice: be aware of your surroundings; don’t leave purchases visible in your car while you go from store to store. In one unsolved case, Capt. Paulsen said there’s no arrest yet in last night’s Highland Park armed robbery. Meantime, he introduced “three-quarters of (his newly aligned) command staff”:

At right, Lt. Pierre Davis is the new operations lieutenant – second in command for the precinct – the job Capt. Paulsen had before leaving the SW Precinct early this year for a short stint at the West Precinct (where his SWP successor, Lt. Norm James, now works with former SWP commander Capt. Joe Kessler). At left, Lt. Alan Williams is third-watch commander (night shift); that’s the job from which Lt. Ron Smith, center, moved into the second-watch (day shift) role. Lts. Davis and Williams are new to the SWP. He also noted that the Community Police Team now has three officers (as reported here when one of them, Officer Ken Mazzuca, visited the Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting last week). CPT Officer Jonathan Kiehn, also at tonight’s meeting, praised citizens for providing improved info when calling 911 lately – a topic on which he spoke at the last West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network meeting. In particular, Officer Kiehn said, they’re giving better descriptions of suspects and the direction in which they’re heading.

Special guest at the meeting: Detective Suzanne Moore, who works on abuse/neglect cases, especially those with elderly victims. She shared two hotline numbers that can be used to report suspected cases – if they involve a residential facility, 800-562-6078; if they involve a private caregiver or home, 206-341-7660.

The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meets the third Tuesday of the month, but they’re skipping December, so January’s the next meeting; keep an eye on www.wscpc.org.

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