West Seattle, Washington
16 Wednesday
VIADUCT GROUNDBREAKING: The date’s set tonight for ceremonial groundbreaking on the project to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct‘s southern mile: 2 pm Tuesday, June 29 (one week from tomorrow), at 1st Avenue South/Royal Brougham Way. This work is expected to last into late 2013. If you’ve still got questions about any or all of what’s in store for The Viaduct, the state reminds us they’ll have reps at West Seattle Summer Fest (co-sponsored by WSB) on July 9, 10, 11 in The Junction, for in-person Q/A.
SOUTH PARK BRIDGE MONEY: We reported last week that the King County Council would vote today on authority for issuing bonds to finance a $30 million contribution toward the construction of a replacement for the South Park Bridge, which will close permanently one week from Wednesday. Linda Robson from Councilmember Jan Drago‘s staff tells us the vote was unanimously in favor, 8-0; Drago herself was absent because of an out-of-state family emergency. Robson confirms that a media event is still in the works for Wednesday to discuss bridge funding – which so far includes this contribution and the $15 million Seattle City Council pledge as major components. A multi-contributor strategy is considered vital to the county’s chances of getting a federal grant; letters of intent for the grant are due in about four weeks.
No, not Major League Baseball – 4 months too soon for that – it’s Bronco Baseball, from Southwest Seattle PONY Baseball. Thanks to Jeff for the tip:
The Bronco Baseball Championship game is tonight at Lincoln Park starting at 5:30. The game features 11 and 12 year old baseball players. The Mariners are taking on the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks are coming from the losing bracket and the Mariners from the winners bracket. The Diamondbacks will have to beat the Mariners 2 times to win the championship; if the Mariners win tonight they are the champions.
ORIGINAL 2:05 PM REPORT: On our way to check out a report that some people might have had to leave their homes while authorities deal with a natural-gas leak at Othello/Vashon (map), just north of Solstice and Lincoln Parks. SW Othello is closed for much of the stretch between California and Fauntleroy. 2:16 PM: We’re at the scene – Fire Department’s still here, Puget Sound Energy has just arrived. Still working to find out exactly what happened; no indication of injuries. Just added a photo looking east toward the scene from across Fauntleroy. 2:26 PM: SFD says it’s a broken 2-inch pipe but otherwise, their crews are there as a “standard gas-leak response.” Media is not being allowed close enough for us to find out anything else, but there’s no indication this is affecting any more than a small area in this residential neighborhood. We’ll be checking back. 3:28 PM: Road still closed, new photo:
No new info at the scene but commenters below are shining some light from within the zone. 5:50 PM UPDATE: As we noted in comments, the street is open again. Puget Sound Energy confirms the break was caused by a contractor working at the scene and it only affected the service at the home where the work was being done.
We’ve talked before about phone books and junk mail, and how to try to opt out of them. The city council’s Public Utilities and Neighborhood Committee (which had a special meeting on another topic here in West Seattle last week – here’s our report) is taking up the topic tomorrow, with several options before them. In case you want to let them know which sounds best to you, here’s the “draft memo” listing the options. They range all the way up to passing a new law that would allow some phone books to be delivered on an “opt-in” basis only. The preferred option, according to the memo, is to contract with a company called Catalog Choice that would provide an online “enhanced opt-out service” for both city and county residents via Web access; the memo says it would cost $30,000 to get that going next year. Tomorrow’s committee meeting is at 2 pm at City Hall downtown; here’s the full agenda.
At left, that’s Washington Middle School student Vivian Lappenbusch, who lives with her family in North Delridge and is about to gain nationwide fame – when she appears on the legendary game show “Jeopardy!” during its upcoming “Kids’ Week.” Vivian’s proud mom Brittany Abbott Von Spreecken e-mailed to let us know about Vivian’s achievement – 10,000 kids took the test this year, according to Brittany, and Vivian was one of just 15 to make it onto the show – and to ask publicly if any local establishment might be interested in hosting a viewing party! Vivian’s episode has already been recorded, of course, though the family is sworn to secrecy; it will air at 7:30 pm Friday, July 9th. You’ll be able to watch it on Channel 4 that night any place that has a TV, but if you’ve got a viewing-party venue (all-ages, obviously), let us know and we’ll put you in touch with Brittany.
Latest from SDOT on the SW Genesee paving project, which they announced last week would expand to four blocks:
Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) paving crews have been preparing SW Genesee Street from 47th Avenue SW to 51st Avenue SW for resurfacing. They recently completed grinding off the old asphalt surface. Weather permitting, they plan to lay new asphalt on Wednesday, June 23, from approximately from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. During this work, traffic flaggers will assist traffic in both directions share a single lane.
If we can’t see the sun, how about sun-like imagery? The building next to the light in Pye42‘s photo from the WSB Flickr group, if you don’t recognize it, is Link, going up in The Triangle along 38th south of Fauntleroy, kittycorner from the future West Seattle Trader Joe’s. Meantime, it’s now officially summer, with the solstice just a few hours ago; if it looks like sunset might be something resembling visible, you can watch it at Solstice Park with Alice Enevoldsen of Alice’s Astro Info – 9:11 pm , read about it here. And that still gives you time to check out Sustainable West Seattle‘s monthly Community Forum, tonight focusing on the role that public campaign financing would play in community sustainability, featuring Washington Public Campaigns (whose annual award banquet was in West Seattle this past Saturday night), 7 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle in The Junction … Two events at Southwest Library today – Baby Story Time at 11:30 am (details here) and Afternoon Book Group at 2 pm (details here) … Lots more – just check the WSB West Seattle Events calendar.
(WSB photo from July 4, 2009)
Now that it’s Monday, we are less than two weeks away from the 4th of July, rain or shine. And this year will be the 15th for a West Seattle family tradition – the Admiral 4th of July Kids’ Parade. You don’t have to be an Admiral resident to be part of it – it’s for anyone and everyone in West Seattle – no pre-registration required, either. It’s already been mentioned in our reports from Admiral Neighborhood Association meetings, since ANA is handling concessions this year, but this morning we’re also sharing some other details from parade organizer Sherri Chun: She says start time is 10 am at 44th/Sunset (map); King County Executive (and Admiral resident) Dow Constantine will be the kickoff speaker; West Seattle Hi-Yu royalty will be there too; as always, games and concessions will follow at the end of the parade route, at Hamilton Viewpoint. Sherri also sends a hearty thanks to sponsors Weitzel Construction (providing the porta-potties), speech therapist Kayle Shulenberger, and Holy Rosary School. Here’s the official flyer; this is a grass-roots effort, as always, so spread the word – the parade through neighborhood streets is always quite the sight, and a great way to start the holiday.
Two weeks from today is the 4th of July, the day the Southwest Seattle Historical Society plans a rally of sorts outside the Alki Homestead to take a group photo to publicize how many people are concerned about the landmark’s future. Its owner Tom Lin, meantime, says concern is great, but contends nobody’s contacting him directly to help save it from sitting, idle, indefinitely, as it has for a year and a half since the electrical fire that charred its interior and closed the restaurant. As noted in our original report on the Historical Society’s plan, we asked him for comment – to respond, he sat down with us this past week at an Alki coffee shop:Read More
Announced by the Senior Center of West Seattle:
Senior Housing & Resource Fair
Tuesday June 29
10 am – 1 pm
Lunch compliments of Daystar Retirement Village, Merrill Gardens Admiral and Merrill Gardens West Seattle [WSB sponsors].
Reservations required 932-4044 x1.
Where will you live as you age?One stop shopping:
Look into your options of where to live or get assistance as you or your loved ones age. Various companies and organizations will be here to present their services.• Learn of current services for ages 50+
• Assisted Living In Home Care
• Retirement Communities Downsize & Moving Companies
• Adult Family Homes Chore Services
• Independent Living
• Senior Housing Organizations
• Insurance & Financial plans
First an award in Port Townsend in mid-May, then another one in Shelton two weeks ago, now another award for Seattle’s only traveling neighborhood-based float, the West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival float, living out this year’s theme, “Dreams Do Come True“:
The West Seattle float participated in the Marysville Strawberry Festival Parade on Saturday evening. It fortunately did not rain all day, until the float was on the trailer on the way back to Seattle.
We won the Berrysville award. The crew worked hard to install lights for our first evening parade. However, because of our early position in the parade, it was fully daylight when we were on the route. Everyone will have to wait for Seafair Torchlight Parade to see the float lit up.
The picture shows Junior Court Princess Kaitlin Morgan (left) and Junior Court Queen Kailin Spencer enjoying the strawberry shortcake that the festival provides for royalty and float crews.
Tim Winston
President
West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival
…and that sets the stage for a reminder, applications are being accepted for this year’s Junior Court, whose members will be chosen on July 16 – the info and application-form link are in this story!
Tomorrow night’s the deadline for nominating someone in the next round of West Seattle Volunteer Recognition Awards. WSB co-sponsors these awards with the Southwest and Delridge District Councils; reps from those two groups then review the nominees and choose the winners. This is the third round since spring of last year, and the winners will be honored one month from tonight at the West Seattle Hi-Yu Concert in the Park. Click ahead for the form you can use to nominate someone – thanks!Read More
Checking out multiple reports that the eastbound West Seattle Bridge is closed right now because of at least one crash. Witnesses say they’re seeing a vehicle on its side. 6:45 PM UPDATE: Witnesses say this crash is near the Walking on Logs curve. The fire/medic response for it already has closed; there was an earlier one further along the eastbound lanes, about an hour ago, and that call also has closed. City traffic cameras are not currently showing the bridge beyond the Fauntleroy entrance, so they’re not of use right now in determining its status. 7:04 PM UPDATE: The crash scene is cleared; police are reopening the bridge.
2 quick notes for those keeping tabs: Early Saturday morning, from Sonia via Facebook, a coyote was spotted running south in the 6500 block of 42nd SW (behind West Seattle Thriftway in Morgan Junction); midmorning on Thursday, Marsha reported a coyote at 36th and Dawson (map). We publish these not as a warning, but as a reminder, if you think “Nah, not MY neighborhood” – they’re everywhere, and here’s how to coexist with them.
Just in case you were wondering, there’s indeed a small-but-spirited classic-car show at Providence Mount St. Vincent as promised – a Father’s Day tradition. BYO umbrella. Scheduled to be on display till 3:30 pm. (Not pictured, a few more cars, including a Corvette. Here’s a map to The Mount.)
As work continues on Chief Sealth International High School renovations, and construction of the new Denny International Middle School next door, the date’s already set for two events celebrating the reopening of Sealth’s permanent campus (map): The day before classes start for next school year, a ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned, 9:30 am September 7th, at the main entrance. Then on Saturday, September 25th, an all-community celebration is planned, described in the announcement as “an opportunity for the community to come tour the renovated main building, gym and new Galleria/Commons.” The galleria’s where this photo was taken earlier this month (it, and the photo above, are courtesy of the project team):
If you missed it the first time, here’s our story from a hard-hat tour with Sealth students in April.
SIDE NOTE: Sealth’s graduation is one of four we covered in West Seattle this month – here are the story links:
South Seattle Community College (June 17th photos/video)
West Seattle High School (June 16th photos/video)
Chief Sealth International High School (June 15th photos/video – including the “flash mob”)
Seattle Lutheran High School (June 11th photos)
Thanks to Laurie for the tip on this week’s big win for Denny International Middle School students – and sharing the report that fellow Denny parent Lisa sent to a mailing list (republished here with permission):
On a wet and rainy Wednesday, Denny International Middle School took first place overall in the Seattle School District’s Middle School Math Olympiad. This was their second title in a row. They competed against a dozen other schools en route to their title defense. The team was led by 8th graders Bradley Marquez, Katy Carter, Lucille Bermes, and Eileen Lee. The 8th graders finished first overall, with the highest total score of all teams competing. The 7th grade finished 2nd in the 7th Grade division. The six members of the 6th grade team sacrificed their class field trip to the beach in order to participate in the event; however, the victory made the sacrifice worthwhile. The current 6th and 7th graders are looking forward to an unprecedented 3rd title in row next year. Congratulations to all who competed!
P.S. The new Denny continues taking shape nearby; while Chief Sealth International High School moves back to its renovated permanent buildings this fall (stand by for the next update), the adjacent new Denny isn’t scheduled for occupancy till 2011. Here’s a new aerial from the project team – top of the photo is north:
(Spotted at Delridge/Holden, photographed by Venessa)
From the West Seattle Weekend Lineup, 1 pm is the magic hour once you’ve taken Dad to brunch/lunch: The Father’s Day Car Show at Providence Mount St. Vincent, 1-3:30 pm; at West Seattle Nursery – it’s another Beerfest, 1-4 pm – with hot dogs as well as beer from White Center’s Big Al Brewing, bring food donations for the West Seattle and White Center Food Banks; at Camp Long, Nature Tots/Animal Daddies for the wee ones, 1 pm; also benefiting the WC Food Bank – if Dad’s an ice-cream fan, today marks the 2nd anniversary for Full Tilt Ice Cream‘s White Center location; if Dad likes ribs, check ’em out at 5 pm at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor); and tonight’s music slate includes the Ballard Sedentary Sousa Band at Kenyon Hall, 7 pm – go early for a root-beer float! Also today, as always, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm in The Junction.
Anybody else old enough to remember Hands Across America (May 25, 1986)? Next Saturday, Hands Across the Sand is planned nationwide, to show opposition to offshore oil drilling – with on-the-beach handclasping if you are somewhere that happens to have a beach. In our case, Alki is on the list. Gather at 11 am by the bathhouse, demonstrate at noon. (Somewhat spooky to see that there were protests like these in Florida back in February – including along the Gulf of Mexico – months before the BP disaster.)
Via Facebook, Robert noted that next Saturday’s Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon came up at West Seattle Runner during yesterday’s kickoff party for the Alki Beach 5K in August – and that it was the first he’d heard of next Saturday’s marathon closing 
the Alaskan Way Viaduct. So, it seems like time to start the reminders: Next Saturday (June 26), The Viaduct closes in both directions at 5 am. Southbound is supposed to reopen at 1;15, but northbound not till 4 pm. This is all according to the road closure plan on the marathon’s website (which includes other closures elsewhere in the metro area). Side note: What makes it Rock ‘n’ Roll is the live music promised “every mile,” by local musicians – here’s the list, which includes some acts you can see in The Junction during West Seattle Summer Fest (co-sponsored by WSB) in three weeks – Massy Ferguson and Kris Orlowski.
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell was in West Seattle tonight – our photo shows her on the big-screen at Brockey Center on the South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) campus as she keynoted the 4th annual awards banquet for Washington Public Campaigns. She reiterated her support for public campaign financing – suggesting we wouldn’t have had to endure damaging deregulation-related debacles if we had it – and recalled her largely self-financed, political-action-committee-contribution-free 2000 campaign. Cantwell’s in her second term, which runs till 2012. The event was described as the biggest banquet for the group yet – more than 300 people (its “Dessert Dash” alone raised almost $6,000). WPC has a strong West Seattle link because its past president is Marcee Stone, who gave up that role in order to run for office – eschewing corporate and political-action-committee money in keeping with what she’s been fighting for – in the 34th District House Position 2 race. Stone emceed tonight’s event; award recipients (listed here) were State Sen. Eric Oemig (45th District) accepting the Public Leadership Award, Washington Community Action Network honored as Organization of the Year, and Elsie Simon as Volunteer of the Year.
P.S. Public campaign financing is on the agenda for another West Seattle event that’s just two nights away – Washington Public Campaigns will be featured at the next Community Forum presented by Sustainable West Seattle, 7 pm Monday at the Senior Center of West Seattle in The Junction (more details on the SWS website).
(Added Sunday morning update – fundraising total at the end!)
WestSide Baby is all about families – so celebrating dads (and other XY-chromosome types) was a natural for tonight’s first-of-its-kind Guys’ Night Out. Above, that’s WestSide Baby’s Nancy Woodland with Kemp Garcia, who came up with the Guys’ Night Out WS Baby benefit idea, and Gerard Denommee.
Poker and pool were part of the plan for tonight’s event at the White Center Eagles‘ HQ. P.S. Mark your calendar for WestSide Baby’s biggest event of the summer – next month already – the legendary Stuff the Bus Diaper Drive (with WSB among the co-sponsors), coming up Sunday, July 25. SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE: Nancy sends word that Guys’ Night Out raised $7,000!
Our full story on today’s daylong briefing/tour event regarding sewer-overflow control proposals at Lowman Beach is still in the works. But while we were waiting for our turn on the tour at Lowman’s Murray Pump Station – a surprise scene. These boys came over and asked if they could see – one of them was celebrating his birthday. Adult permission, and county permission, was secured, and down they went.
(Our tour photos, and the rest of the story from today’s “technical information session,” still to come; the tour went on to Alki for a look at the newly expanded 53rd Avenue Pump Station, too.)
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