West Seattle, Washington
23 Sunday
One of the topics that didn’t come up for extensive discussion at this afternoon’s mayoral visit, though an expert was on hand in case it did: The county’s ongoing projects to reduce “combined-sewer overflows” at two West Seattle waterfront pump stations. The county announced its “preferred alternatives” in December, and now there are two new developments.
First, a community meeting is planned to get into more details of the “green stormwater infrastructure” plan for part of the area feeding the Barton pump station next to the Fauntleroy ferry dock. The “infrastructure” means streetfront rain gardens and other ways to catch stormwater, and it’s being planned for the neighborhoods within the yellow boundaries on the map above. The meeting is 6:30 pm April 6th at Westside School (WSB sponsor), adjacent to the site on the map labeled as EC Hughes Playground; here’s the official flyer. People in the area also will be seeing some testing work in the next few weeks – that’s explained by this flyer.
Second, a big new document for both the Barton plan and the Murray (Lowman Beach) basin plan is now available on the county website – see it here. It’s explained on that page (from which its many sections are linked) as:
The Barton and Murray Combined Sewer Overflow Control Facilities Plan describes the reasons for these projects, the processes used to develop and evaluate alternatives, and the selection of proposed alternatives to advance for further environmental review.
The Murray plan that the county is pursuing would involve buying a block of residential properties across from Lowman Beach Park and burying a million-gallon underground storage tank for use in situations where previously the combined sewage and stormwater would have flowed, untreated, into Puget Sound. Both basins’ “preferred alternatives” are currently under environmental review.
(Mayor at 34th/Barton P-Patch site, last stop before walking to SW Library)
1:36 PM: Just wrapped up the mini-walking tour of Westwood, and Mayor McGinn is speaking at Southwest Library (35th/Henderson) – though it was billed as an event till 2 pm, he says he’s got till 2:30 pm, so if you’re interested, you have time to get here. The walking tour coordinated by soon-to-retire Delridge District Coordinator Ron Angeles went through Roxhill Park, including the bog (photo added, with neighborhood volunteer Mary Quackenbush explaining its history):
Then on to Barton, where SDOT‘s Jim Curtin and Christine Alar briefed the mayor on pedestrian improvements and the future RapidRide stop across from Westwood Village (photo added):
Then it was on to the 34th/Barton P-Patch site (where the tree controversy even came up, as you’ll hear in this clip):
(Our coverage of the P-Patch design meetings is here and here.)
1:48 PM: In his opening remarks, the mayor has a lot to say about the forthcoming Families and Education Levy – not just what it does, but stressing that the money doesn’t go to Seattle Public Schools, but to the city, which contracts with various providers (the district among them), since there has been concern that the SPS financial-mismanagement scandal might affect the levy’s chances of passing: “I’m saying all that because with all this news about the school district, I’d be concerned too … This money comes to the city … and we’re very transparent and open about it.”
2:05 PM: More tough issues have come up – a woman saying she’s the daughter of a police officer killed in the line of duty says she was offended by “John T. Williams Day” being declared in memory of the woodcarver shot by an officer; then the tunnel comes up, with the first questioner/commenter supporting McGinn’s position, and critiquing media as “biased.” We are recording video of the entire Q/A presentation, by the way, and will post it as part of the story after we’re back at HQ.
2:28 PM: The issue of White Center (etc.) annexation has come up, too, in response to a question from Delridge District Council chair Mat McBride. McGinn’s answer: “I’m torn”; he went on to say he is still leaning toward the sentiment that it’s just too expensive for the city. [The event ended a few minutes later and we’re putting together more information/photos/video to add to this story.]
VIDEO: First, unedited half-hour of the Q/A, which eventually amassed an audience of 40-plus:
The rest of it (37 minutes long), picking up exactly where the preceding clip left off:
ADDED 7:02 PM: A couple more interesting notes from the walking tour that preceded the library Q&A: While the group walked the paths in Roxhill Park, West Seattle Crime Prevention Council president Richard Miller talked with the mayor about safety concerns there, including last year’s murder (the suspect in that, by the way, has another court hearing coming up later this month). Here’s our photo of Miller with deputy mayor Darryl Smith (and in the background, longtime Westwood activist Pablo Lambinicio):
On the north edge of the park, along Barton, while discussing some of the improvements including the parking restrictions that eliminated the “used-car lot,” SDOT’s Jim Curtin told the mayor that the city’s Bicycle Master Plan eventually calls for bike lanes on both sides of Barton; the mayor, having just heard about safety concerns on that stretch of the road, suggested those lanes’ presence alone will have a traffic-calming effect.
About this time of year, we start getting notes asking if anyone is having a fundraising car wash on a particular day – so they can do a good deed while getting their vehicle good and clean. When one such question came in yesterday, we were able to reply, “In fact, the Chief Sealth Honor Choir will be washing cars Sunday at Alki Auto Repair to raise money for their upcoming trip to Carnegie Hall.” And there we found the fundraising car-scrubbers this morning – with choir members Tiffany and Hayley pausing for a photo. Just look for the sign at 57th and Alki (that’s the Shoremont in the background).
They’re planning to be there till 4 pm, suggested donation $10. And a WSB’er checked – yes, the water goes into a separate treatment system and doesn’t drain into Puget Sound.
(P.S. If you have a car wash or other fundraiser planned, we’d be happy to put it on the WSB Events calendar as soon as you schedule it – just send the info to editor@westseattleblog.com.)
(P.P.S. A comment reminds us, we need to add that if you missed this today, they’ll do it again same place, same time, in three weeks, March 27th, as mentioned in our preview.)
After the mayor’s visit this afternoon, you have at least two more chances to catch up with top elected officials in the week ahead, without leaving West Seattle. On Wednesday night, City Council President Richard Conlin is scheduled to be at the regular monthly meeting of our area’s largest political group, the 34th District Democrats (7 pm Wednesday, The Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 California SW). Next Saturday morning (March 12), all three of our area’s state legislators – Sen. Sharon Nelson and Reps. Eileen Cody and Joe Fitzgibbon – have a “town hall” scheduled to discuss this year’s legislative session (10-11:30 am, High Point Community Center, 6920 34th SW). Sure, you can send ’em e-mail, but in-person questions/concerns/compliments tend to be high-impact, so be there if you can!
(Just 2 weeks to the spring equinox! Photo by Lisa Stencel)
Highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
MAYOR VISITS WEST SEATTLE: Got something to ask/say to Mayor McGinn? Q&A at Southwest Library at 1:30 pm will conclude his Sunday afternoon West Seattle visit, which starts at Roxhill Park at 12:30 pm. (Here’s our preview from Friday.)
GET YOUR CAR WASHED, HELP SEND STUDENT SINGERS TO CARNEGIE HALL: 9 am-4 pm, rain or shine, Chief Sealth International High School Honor Choir members and friends are washing cars for donations to help fund their upcoming trip to sing at Carnegie Hall this Easter – you’ll find them at Alki Auto Repair (2504 Alki SW), $10 suggested donation.
RIDE YOUR BICYCLE WITH SPOKESPEOPLE WEST SEATTLE: Meet at Alki Bike and Board (2606 California SW) for the Spokespeople WS 11 am ride through West Seattle’s main business districts along California SW, including a stop at the WS Farmers’ Market. Details here.
SPEAKING OF THE FARMERS’ MARKET: Violinist Pasquale Santos is scheduled to serenade marketgoers today. There’s also a new farmer, Olsen Meat and Potatoes, per the West Seattle Farmers’ Market page on Facebook. The market’s at 44th/Alaska, 10 am-2 pm.
WEST SEATTLE LITTLE LEAGUE TRYOUTS: Minors and Majors both try out today at Hiawatha Playfield – details in our preview and on the West Seattle Little League website.
SOCCER PICKUP GAME: The weekly adult/”big kid” soccer game, 10:30 am Sundays, is now on renovated Delridge Playfield – and it’s on Facebook, too.
VOLUNTEER AT THE SEATTLE CHINESE GARDEN! There’s an orientation for volunteers today, 1 to 4 pm, including a 2-hour tour & presentation on Chinese gardens and 1 hour of volunteer training. Go to the Garden office at north end of South Seattle Community College (6000 16th SW). To RSVP for the training and to learn about different opportunities, please visit this area of the garden website.
‘HARRY POTTER’ EVENT @ THE ADMIRAL: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” showing at Admiral Theater, 3:40 pm, with prizes for costumed moviegoers and a special Harry Potter-themed Mini Cooper on display (it’s for sale too) – details here
More on the calendar!
Quick West Seattle Crime Watch note tonight: Mark sent word that his home at 18th/Brandon (map) was broken into just after 3 pm today. He says, “Fortunately we had an alarm which scared the burglars off but they still made off with my laptop.”
(Checking the city’s police-call map and police-report map – both of which lag several hours and don’t reflect all reports – the only other West Seattle residential burglary we see reported since yesterday morning, so far, is a break-in reported Friday evening in the 4800 block of Delridge.)
Thanks to everyone who continues to share wonderful photographs – particularly of our wildlife, plant life, and other scenery, as well as news events big and small, breaking and not (here’s how to share something, any time) – Top photo, Danny McMillin caught one of West Seattle’s eagles lifting off from a madrona snag on Alki Point today. Next, the sunny scene at Alki this afternoon, photographed by JayDee, who observes that warmth-deprived West Seattleites seemed like crocuses, popping out once the sun appeared:
And from Trileigh, tonight’s golden sunset, viewed from the Lincoln Park bluff:
More in queue for tomorrow already … more photos and more nice weather (at least by afternoon, says the forecast).
Its critical look at pressures faced by U.S. students has had a lot of people talking since its release more than a year ago – and they’re still talking. This Thursday night is your next chance to see “Race to Nowhere” with a West Seattle group. The Holy Rosary School Parents’ Club is sponsoring a screening at 6:30 pm Thursday at the Admiral Theater. As the promotional page explains – and as you might guess from watching the trailer above – the movie is “a call to action for families, educators, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens.” Tickets cost $5 less if you buy in advance – you can do that online by going here.
On March 13th, Sunday brunch goes green – not because St. Patrick’s Day is ahead – it’s all about the greenspaces around us, the heart of the Nature Consortium‘s work. One week from tomorrow, it’s the West Seattle-based nonprofit’s annual fundraising/awareness-raising brunch, noon-1:30 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy. It’s free to register (donations will be requested during the event). Just go here to get your name on the list.
10:59 AM: Thanks to Jake Jaramillo for the photo of the in-progress cleanup of the Thistle Street Stairs near Lincoln Park (stretching from 46th/Thistle up to Northrop/Thistle). Jake says there’s still time to go pitch in – “It’s very well-organized. They can put to work anyone who cares to join!”
3:23 PM: Added that clip produced by Wes Sauer of Cider Press Media, narrated by P.J. Glassey. We checked out the cleanup toward the end and indeed, it seemed all involved had a great time (and cleared away multiple bags of overgrowth, including some that was clogging a small drainage ditch alongside the stairs).
Out of the WSB inbox, from Deanna in Arbor Heights (near 33rd/99th):
At about 8:45 Friday evening someone knocked on my door posing as an ADP sales agent. He said because of all the recent crimes in our neighborhood his manager wanted him to place signs on our lawns if we’d agree to a consultation. After I gave him the boot he moved on to my next door neighbor with a different story. We are guessing that he was casing our houses to determine who had alarms. My neighbor called the police to report it, I though perhaps the West Seattle Blog might alert some neighbors.
Here’s our archive of door-to-door alerts; some solicitors are legitimate, some not, but remember the city rules – if it’s a commercial solicitation, they’re supposed to have ID.
(Added Saturday night – our photo from the Madison/Aki Kurose booth, with Lilien and Joseph)
Peruse the list of exhibitors for the Emerald City Comic Convention, continuing all weekend at the Washington State Convention Center downtown, and you’ll find a distinctly West Seattle name – Madison Middle School. Teacher Greg Hatcher is there with his afterschool cartooning class again this year. Last year, they collected donations to help make sure their program could continue; this year, they’re raising money by selling a book – “Doodle Inc.: The Cartooning Class Reunion Special,” with work by cartooning-class alums. You can see the cover and some of the art here, in a story Hatcher wrote about the project and how it came together. Seattle’s Child magazine featured them too. At the event, look for them in booth 511; if they haven’t sold out yet, the book’s going for just $5, with that entire price supporting the student cartooning program. Emerald City ComiCon is open 10 am-7 pm today, 10 am-5 pm tomorrow, ticket info here (and here’s this year’s celebrity lineup – headlined by William Shatner).
(Pileated woodpecker, photographed in Lincoln Park by Machel Spence)
Ready to be as industrious today as that woodpecker? Today’s the day for the Thistle Street Stairs community-organized cleanup on West Seattle’s longest stairway (meet at 10 am, 46th and Thistle) … if you’re in the early-learning field, the White Center Providers Group is presenting an all-day Early Learning Fair and Conference at WC Heights Elementary (first speaker at 9:15 am, details here) … Play Scrabble and help local nonprofits – new day! Charity Scrabble at Skylark Café and Club (WSB sponsor) moves to 3:30 pm Saturdays starting today … Looking to liven up your cooking repertoire? West Seattle-based, nationally acclaimed food writer Kim O’Donnel is at the 4th Avenue Costco today with her “Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook,” 4:30-6 pm … Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor) has its 2011 Chili Cookoff tonight, starting at 5:30 (votes by donation), followed by monthly Movie Night (“The Life of Brian” this time), suggested donations $5 person/$12 family, community welcome as well as congregation members … Our Lady of Guadalupe School has its annual fundraising auction tonight (this year’s theme: Beach Party), details here … Today is one of the periodic Free Women’s Health Exam days at West Seattle Community Clinic for women 40-65 who are uninsured or underinsured (call 206-937-9722 to see if any appointments remain, or to get information about next time) … The memorial for longtime West Seattleite Andrew Fife is today; details here. … Check the WSB West Seattle Events calendar for more listings.
The signs of spring just keep stacking up. West Seattle Little League president Mark Terao sends word of WSLL tryouts tomorrow (Sunday), for both minors and majors. The tryouts are at Hiawatha Playfield (2700 California SW, next to West Seattle High School). Check in at the tent alongside the field to get a number; Majors Division check-ins start at 9, with tryouts 9:30-11:30 am; Minors Division check-ins start at 12:30 pm, with tryouts 1-3:30 pm. According to the WSLL calendar, the season officially begins April 4th, with a ribbon-cutting scheduled for their new Bar-S Playfield improvements on March 26th.
You won’t see them in our file photo at right, but two “for lease” signs are now up on the facade of Ho-Win Chinese Restaurant on California just south of Juneau – thanks to Lizzy for the tip. WSB contributor “Hutch” went over to check on the signs, and found out that the restaurant’s owners have decided not to renew their lease when it runs out at the end of next month. It’s been under the same ownership for twelve years, and they want to thank everyone who’s patronized Ho-Win over that time. We have messages out to the real-estate company handling the listing to see if they have anything more to say. Ho-Win is next door to the Juneau Street Market, which recently reopened after an ownership change.
Before the Highland Park Action Committee decides whether its name should stay or go, it’s taking an online survey – which is now available via the HPAC website. It’s a quick survey, offering you ten potential names to consider, or a chance to suggest something different. The name issue is likely to be settled at the next HPAC meeting, 7 pm March 23, at Highland Park Improvement Club (12th/Holden). Meantime, go to the HPAC home page for a link to the survey and to related information.
Often a big new sign where there was none before means a new business. Not in this case. Brian Presser of TouchTech Systems in The Junction (4517 California SW, on the east end of the breezeway) e-mailed to share news of the new sign – his first big street-facing sign after more than three years at that location: “TouchTech started on January of ’96 and we’ve been in West Seattle since October ’07. After many years of meeting people and hearing them say, ‘I had no idea you were here,’ we decided to take the plunge and go big! We had a small sign at eye level just outside the breezeway door on California, but this is way bigger and brighter.” TouchTech offers a variety of tech-related services, including being an authorized Apple reseller.
One more game at the Tacoma Dome today for the Chief Sealth International High School boys’ basketball team – and a tough one because of foul trouble. In the consolation round, North Central (from Spokane) topped Sealth 53-46. That’s the acclaimed Sealth drum line in our top clip; game details and video after the jump:Read More
We’re at the King County Courthouse, where Superior Court Judge Carol Schapira has just sentenced the second defendant in the Highland Park beating/hate-crime case from last May. His sentence is 72 months total – 48 months for the robbery (which includes the beating), 24 months after that for the weapons enhancement), and a concurrent 12 months for the malicious-harassment charge. That’s three months longer than the sentence the same judge gave the first defendant, 23-year-old Ahmed Mohamed, last month.
Pleading guilty to robbery (with a weapons enhancement) and malicious harassment (hate crime) in January (WSB coverage here), Jonathan Baquiring, like his co-defendant, had acknowledged a racist motive in attacking now-17-year-old Shane McClellan in Highland Park and beating/torturing him for hours. Charges weren’t filed till four months later; Baquiring was the first suspect arrested, and has been in jail since then, almost six months.
Before the judge’s decision, prosecutors asked for the same 72-month sentence they had requested for the first defendant, on the most serious charge. Shane McClellan’s father Tim addressed the judge, as he had at the first sentencing. “The continuing impact… this has had on our family … on my son,” he began, his voice breaking. Judge Schapira notes she remembered that the previous sentencing, at which she also presided, was on Shane’s 17th birthday. “I hope there is some sense of satisfaction, now that Mr. Baquiring made a decision to plead guilty, that this matter will not have .. any more uncertainties,” so that Shane “can move on,” the judge told the victim’s father. “It’s like the final chapter, we want to put it to rest,” McClellan replied. When the judge offered Baquiring the chance “to say something,” he asked for forgiveness, “for everything we have done.”
Baquiring’s lawyer called him “unschooled in the legal system and in the realities of alcohol consumption,” saying he had “consumed at least four 4 Lokos” (that came up in the first sentencing too). “This is not anything that was planned or decided on in advance … I think Mr. McClellan was truly a random victim – that doesn’t make his victimization any less real …” the lawyer said. Unlike the first defendant, he had no family or friends speaking on his behalf, so after he spoke, Judge Schapira pronounced her sentence, noting that he had no criminal history before this and saying she hopes he will have nothing after he serves the sentence. (We have her remarks on video, and will add them here when we are back at HQ, as well as video a photo of Baquiring in the courtroom – you’ll notice her speaking especially slowly; Baquiring spoke and listened through a translator.) ADDED: Here are the judge’s remarks:
This was mentioned briefly at the Delridge District Council meeting two weeks ago, but we haven’t seen details till today – Mayor McGinn will be in Westwood this Sunday. The invitation just forwarded by a WSB’er says he’s at Southwest Library (35th/Henderson) for community Q/A, 1:30-2 pm Sunday. And literally a minute after we published this, the mayor’s office confirmed the visit starts at 12:30 pm at Roxhill Park. (Last weekend, we caught up with him during an unpublicized visit to White Center, which the city is considering annexing along with the rest of the remaining unincorporated North Highline area.)
(February 2011 photo by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
Will you be able to visit a space shuttle by driving just a few minutes east? Last month, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden visited the Museum of Flight, which is hoping to receive a retired space shuttle to put on display. (He’s seen at center in our photo, with museum CEO Doug King and former museum president/retired astronaut Dr. Bonnie Dunbar.) Today, the museum – just over the ridge from West Seattle – announced that Bolding is expected to make an announcement on April 12th. (MoF points out that’s the 30th anniversary of the first shuttle launch.) A new space gallery is under construction at MoF, with completion expected this summer; the museum is one of 27 contenders around the country to be the home of a retired shuttle.
Two days ago, we updated the saga of accused catalytic-converter thief Joel Lund, described by police as an “active” suspect. The latest update: Just about 24 hours ago, Lund got out of jail. (Thanks to the WSB’er who found this on the King County Jail Register before we did.) Here’s what our research has turned up: After he pleaded not guilty yesterday to the one charge currently against him, malicious mischief, the judge agreed to let him out of jail provided he participates in the Community Center for Alternative Programs, which requires weekday check-ins and classes at a facility downtown. The conditions also included drug/alcohol/mental-health treatment, according to court documents. King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Dan Donohoe tells WSB that prosecutors opposed letting Lund out at all. His bail had been set at $20,000; he was arrested February 15th for the second time in three days, and he had remained behind bars since then, until yesterday’s decision by Judge Theresa Doyle. Potential burglary and theft charges listed on the jail register remain under investigation, with nothing formal filed yet, according to Donohue. Lund is due back in court for trial-date-setting on March 17th.
P.S. We mentioned in our report the other day that we had been working on a longer story. Since the case keeps moving faster than we do, we’re just going to add the background from that story – on the current case and previous ones – here, after the jump:Read More
Story and photos by Ellen Cedergreen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The Duwamish Longhouse was the site of a “killer” talk last night as part of a series of presentations hosted by West Seattle-based The Whale Trail to share more information about our region’s resident orcas, officially known as Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) – and in this case, how dogs can help them.
Donna Sandstrom (above), executive director for The Whale Trail, introduced keynote speaker Katherine Ayres, of the UW-based Center for Conservation Biology (below):
Sandstrom noted that Katherine’s work, using scat-detection dogs, has helped pioneer research for the whales. She also greatly emphasized the importance of both volunteer support, and the successful collaboration with organizations such as NOAA Fisheries, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, People for Puget Sound, The Seattle Aquarium, The Whale Museum, and Coast Watch Society. Ayres later reiterated the importance of inter-agency collaboration, as she outlined the importance of sharing and comparing data.
Her talk centered around groundbreaking research practices where dogs are being used to detect killer whale scat (feces), to learn information that could help protect the threatened species. Dr. Sam Wasser pioneered the practice in 1997 when he founded the Center for Conservation Biology.
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