An unusual scene at Providence Mount St. Vincenttoday – Arlene Carter shares photos and the story:

A team of five UW mechanical engineering students visited Providence Mount St. Vincent (The Mount) today to gather information for their senior project. Their goal is to design a lift to be used in developing countries that would cost less than half of what our “developed world” machines cost, without sacrificing safety or functionality. The students, Kim Phasavath, Mark Bae, Thanh Mai, Marcus Lew, and Joe Grogan, learned how The Mount’s mechanical lifts work from Mount employee Penny Garrett, a Resident Assistant. Penny demonstrated how to use each kind of lift, with students playing the role of patient. She explained features that work well and ones that could be added to improve the safety and efficiency of lifts. The students will present their results to their class and share them with The Mount at the end of spring quarter.

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West Seattle Bookshelf: See what’s hot right now

April 22, 2010 9:00 pm

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| West Seattle books | West Seattle news

Lists courtesy of Square One Books

Looking for ideas of what to read? Again this week, courtesy of Gretchen Montgomery @ Square One Books (WSB sponsor), we bring you her independent West Seattle bookstore’s 5 best-sellers in each of 4 key categories:

Hardcover:
1. Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
2. The Bridge by David Remnick
3. The Harvard Psychedelic Club by Don Lattin
4. In the Green Kitchen by Alice Waters
5. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Paperback:
1. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
2. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
3. The Widow Cliquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It by Tilar Mazzeo
4. The Not So Big Life by Sarah Susanka
5. The Bullpen Gospels: Major League Dreams of a Minor League Veteran by Dirk Hayhurst

Children/Young Adult:
1. Savvy by Ingrid law
2. Mama, Is it Summer Yet by Nikki McClure
3. Smile by Raina Telgemeir
4. Warriors: Ravenpaw’s Path by Erin Hunter
5. The Stone Rabbit Series by Erik Creddock

Teen:
1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
2. Graceling by Kristen Cashore
3. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
4. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
5. Light #1 The Morpheus Road Trilogy by D.J. MacHale

Square One is in Jefferson Square.

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Restrict low-bridge openings at rush hour? New “voluntary” plan

April 22, 2010 5:17 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| Spokane St. Viaduct project | West Seattle news

(March 2010 photo taken during bridge tour, courtesy City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen)
Three weeks ago, we brought you the letter the city sent to the Coast Guard asking again for restrictions on opening the “low bridge” – this time, because its vehicle usage is about to increase dramatically, especially in the afternoon, with the May 17th closure of the 1st Avenue South onramp to the westbound high-rise West Seattle Bridge. (Here’s the detour map.) At last night’s Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting, Pigeon Point rep Pete Spalding asked about the status of the request, and SDOT’s Stuart Goldsmith indicated they’d gotten word it wouldn’t be granted. That’s just been confirmed today by SDOT communications manager Rick Sheridan, but he says there’s a “voluntary” plan:

Though we have not received official written notification, the US Coast Guard (USCG) has indicated that it will not support a suspension of peak hour openings of the lower Spokane Street Swing Bridge. In order to minimize traffic disruptions after the First Avenue S on-ramp closure, the parties involved in the decision agreed to a voluntary system for minimizing p.m. rush hour openings of the bridge. Waterway users, the Port of Seattle, the USCG and SDOT have jointly agreed to this. SDOT will monitor the impacts of bridge openings on traffic during this phase of construction and, should a sustained pattern of traffic disruptions occur, the Coast Guard is committed to working with the city to address the issue.

Looking ahead to increased traffic on the low bridge as the Spokane Street and Alaskan Way Viaducts’ construction projects approached, the city asked in 2008 for the peak-hour restrictions, and was turned down (WSB coverage here) without any “voluntary” attempts to make it happen. Meantime, if you’re tracking all the effects of various construction projects in the metro area, including the two viaducts, here’s the latest update from SDOT.

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Garbage-strike update: Drivers returning to work

April 22, 2010 4:41 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| Utilities | West Seattle news

4:41 PM: The Waste Management truck drivers who went on strike yesterday are reported to be offering to return – here’s the latest from our regional-news partners at the Seattle Times. That’s led Seattle Public Utilities to issue this update:

Based on reports that striking Teamsters will return to work, Seattle Public Utilities is advising its Friday customers to put out their garbage, yard waste and recycling before 7 tomorrow morning.

Customers whose collections were missed due to the strike on Wednesday and Thursday may set out up to twice their garbage, yard waste and recycling on their next regular collection day, at no additional cost. Missed recycling should be set out on customers’ next recycling day, which would be in two weeks.

SPU will provide updates as needed. Customers with solid waste service problems may call the Call Center at (206) 684-3000.

6:12 PM: The Times story is updated now, and Waste Management is saying it welcomes the workers back. In addition, the two sides will resume talks on Monday.

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Update: Aerial photos of film crew on West Seattle Bridge

April 22, 2010 2:41 pm

| 13 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

As previewed two days ago, a film crew working on what’s believed to be a Japanese TV project has been in action this afternoon on the West Seattle Bridge, leading to “rolling slowdowns.” Sorry we just don’t have a chopper yet, but our friends at KING do, and they have just published aerial photos. The crew is expected back on The Bridge 11 pm-1 am tonight, after shooting on the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct 8-10 pm.

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Trouble at KeyBank in The Junction again – but NOT a robbery

April 22, 2010 1:49 pm

| 17 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

(Photo added 2:50 pm)
Thanks to Katie for the Twitter tip on this – she heard about trouble at the KeyBank in The Junction; we called SPD’s media unit and here’s what Det. Mark Jamieson says happened: A man broke a window at the bank (update: north side, as shown above), then walked inside and apparently told the staff he wanted to pay for it, even offered his ID. Then he left (Det. Jamieson isn’t sure if payment was taken before this) and caught a bus, hand bleeding from the broken glass. Metro and SPD were notified, and they stopped the bus at 35th/Avalon to take the man in custody – they also called the Fire Department to check out his injury. From there, he was to be taken to the Southwest Precinct for questioning.

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West Seattle Earth Day: Gatewood Elementary students on patrol

April 22, 2010 1:33 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Environment | Gatewood | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Many schools have Earth Day on the agenda today – among them, Gatewood Elementary, whose 4th and 5th graders made multiple stops this morning. We caught up with them at Lowman Beach Park, where they picked up litter (you’ll note the bag in front of them on the Lowman tennis court). 4th/5th-grade teacher Darren Radu tells WSB that students also went to Pelly Place for invasive-plant removal, stenciled storm drains along the streets near the school, and did litter patrol at other spots including the Lincoln Park P-Patch. (Thanks to Darren for the heads-up – let us know what your school is up to, either with an advance tip, or photos/info afterward, so we can share the news! WSB contact info is here.)

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West Seattle Earth Day: New meaning to “green beer”

April 22, 2010 1:14 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Environment | West Seattle news | WS beverages

(Photos by Christopher Boffoli)
No, “green beer” isn’t just the coloring-added stuff served up on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a double meaning today for the keg of Elliott Bay Brewery‘s Demolition Ale that an entourage including owner Todd Carden (photo above, left) and chief brewer Doug Hindman (right) delivered by bicycle to the Latona Pub in Green Lake (6423 Latona Ave NE, ) today. The keg got its own helmet and T-shirt:

Covering the departure for WSB, Christopher Boffoli reports, “Latona Pub has been doing events all week in recognition and celebration of Earth Week. All of the beers they have been serving are delivered by human power. And today Elliott Bay delivered theirs via pedal power. Todd Carden of EBB says that people should check out the EBB’s blog and Twitter feed today as they will be offering a special coupon for Earth Day and organic beer.” (You can show the coupon at EBB on your smartphone.)

6:18 PM ADDITION: That’s Carden’s co-owner Brent Norton joining him and Hindman just before they pedaled away. And we’ve found what looks like an arrival photo on the Latona Pub website. And there’s more backstory on the West Seattle-based Washington Beer Blog.

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Last day to sign up for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day!

April 22, 2010 11:04 am

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| Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

Almost 160 sales are now registered for the 6th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, coming up Saturday, May 8th – not one big sale, but many sales, all sizes, all over the peninsula. Final reminders:

*Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) still has a few courtyard spots as of last time we checked, if you don’t have room for your own sale – you can sign up @ Hotwire (free)

*C & P Coffee also is offering space for individual sellers (free) – check directly at the shop

*(added) Highland Park Improvement Club is having a group sale, but charging $20 as an HPIC fundraiser – e-mail hpic1919@gmail.com

*If you’re not selling but want to help another local nonprofit, CoolMom is collecting donated items that they will use in their sale at Cycle University (4550 Fauntleroy) up through Friday 5/7, the day before Sale Day. Here’s their flyer about the donations and sale.

We’re advertising/promoting West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day regionally so that people from around the Sound know this is the place to be to shop on Saturday, May 8th. Want to be part of it? Register and pay online by 11:59 pm tonight, starting here. We expect to have the map available a week in advance – look for details on that shortly.

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Update: Minor injuries in South Park explosion

April 22, 2010 9:32 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| South Park

(Seattle Fire Department TwitPic photo, added 10:01 am; thanks to David for the link)
ORIGINAL 9:32 AM REPORT: In case you heard this from eastern West Seattle, or a workplace along the Duwamish: Fire crews are still on the scene at a South Park business where something exploded within the past hour. KIRO TV links aerial photos from its online story and identifies the business as Independent Metals; SFD spokesperson Helen Fitzpatrick tells our partners at the Seattle Times as well as KING5 (their report here) that everyone’s accounted for. While the 911 log shows a massive response, scanner traffic indicates some of the units have been canceled. There’s no official word yet on injuries, though the scanner mentioned at least two patients, one of which was being handled with a private ambulance, which indicates non-life-threatening injuries. According to its website, Independent Metals is a scrap-metal recycling company that’s been in business more than a quarter-century.

10:01 AM: SFD has just posted online that indeed, there were two people hurt, “minor injuries.” The explosion is blamed on a propane tank going into a metal shredder. We’re adding an SFD photo of some of the damage on the building’s exterior.

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Waste Management garbage-truck drivers’ strike: No pickups today

April 22, 2010 9:03 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| Utilities | West Seattle news

Though West Seattle’s next major wave of potential effects won’t hit until Monday (after some missed pickups here yesterday), if you’re keeping track, the city followed up last night’s “Thursday pickups, put your trash out” advisory with a “no Thursday pickups after all” advisory this morning. Waste Management is also keeping day-by-day updates on its website – no trash or recyclables today, but they advise customers they can put out up to twice the normal amount on their next pickup day. They have said they intend to bring in replacement drivers, but a WM spokesperson told the Seattle Times (WSB partner) that their contingency plan would take a few days to be up and running. No word so far of any new negotiations.

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West Seattle Thursday: Bridge reminder; safety coalition; more ….

April 22, 2010 8:51 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

BRIDGE AND VIADUCT REMINDER: Today’s the day for the “rolling slowdowns” on the West Seattle Bridge, noon-3 pm and 11 pm-1 am, plus 8 pm-10 pm on the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct, for a film crew (here’s our original story – note the additional info in comments).

SOUTH DELRIDGE/WHITE CENTER COMMUNITY SAFETY COALITION: The volunteer group that looks at crime and other safety issues in the south end of West Seattle, as well as White Center – usually with Seattle Police and King County Sheriff’s Office reps in attendance – meets tonight at 6 pm in the WC DSHS office (9650 15th Ave SW).

2 MORGAN JUNCTION EVENTS: The weeklong 1st-anniversary celebration at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) continues with $3.65 anniversary shirts on sale while they last. And kitty-corner at West Seattle Thriftway, you can check out the “Spring Fling” appetizer tasting 3-7 pm.

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What lurks beneath Skylark Café? “MOHAI Minute” looks into it

April 22, 2010 3:36 am

| 10 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle video

Thanks to Diane for pointing out the tweet with this newly YouTubed video about West Seattle’s own Skylark Café and Club (WSB sponsor), made on behalf of MOHAI (the Museum of History and Industry). As the YT page puts it, the hosts are trying to put the hysterical in historical. Or something like that. Anyway, it’s definitely not your standard stentorian-toned peek back into time. (If you don’t already know host Peder Nelson for his other endeavors – like music – you might remember our interview with him before he produced the Frances Farmer tribute at The Admiral in fall 2008.)

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Disaster Preparedness Month, night 21: About that outage …

April 21, 2010 11:58 pm

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| Preparedness | Safety | West Seattle news

We missed our Disaster Preparedness Month report last night – and there was no time to catch up in the early morning, because we started the day covering a sizable West Seattle power outage. So that set the tone for tonight’s advice: First, from the fabulous West Seattle Be Prepared website: What to do (and not to do) when the power goes out. But what you need in case of an outage may be very personal – depending on what you’d need to get along for a while without power – in our case, for example, it’s extra laptop batteries – so think ahead of time about what you’d really need, and have it standing by. It may be something simple, like one suggestion we got – this morning’s outage left people unable to run their coffeemakers, but if they’d had some packets of instant coffee set aside, they could have had something stopgap before leaving the house. As for the practical items, a suggested “lights-out kit” list is here. And here are your must-do get-prepared online assignments: Join the West Seattle Be Prepared group on Facebook; take the “3 to Get Ready” challenge (WSB sponsor – with prizes!); know your Emergency Communication Hub. (WSB photo above from December 2006)

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Morgan Community Assoc. report #1: Everything but Lowman

April 21, 2010 11:55 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Neighborhoods | The Kenney | West Seattle news

Tonight’s Morgan Community Association meeting at The Kenney was really two meetings in one. For the first hour, president Deb Barker cracked the whip to keep a jammed agenda galloping ahead, to leave maximum time for the second hour (and then some) to focus on the reason for a big turnout (more than 50 people) – the controversial proposals for “Combined Sewer Overflow” control in the area feeding Murray Pump Station at Lowman Beach. We’re writing a separate, long story on the latter discussion – full of “passions,” as visiting Fauntleroy Community Association president Bruce Butterfield put it – but before then, here are the highlights of what else was discussed in Hour 1, from a change in the Kenney’s redevelopment, to the case of homophobic-graffiti vandal Ryan Cox, to a RapidRide update, to park proposals, to the official date for the Morgan Community Festival, plus a followup to the Beach Drive mudslide – read on:Read More

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Delridge District Council toplines: Tale of two viaducts

April 21, 2010 10:58 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Alaskan Way Viaduct | Coyotes | Delridge District Council | Spokane St. Viaduct project | Transportation | West Seattle news

The latest on the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project and the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project – both of which will affect West Seattle drivers in a major way, as we’ve reported here for the past few years – comprises two of our three toplines from tonight’s Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting at Youngstown Arts Center. Read on for the highlights:Read More

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Garbage strike: City tells Thursday pickups, put trash out

April 21, 2010 7:59 pm

| 18 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news

Quick update re: the garbage strike: The city has issued a request that if you have Thursday pickup, DO put it out tomorrow. If your pickup was missed today, put it out NEXT Wednesday, they request. 10:21 PM: West Seattle is all Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, per the map above, which is linked from the garbage-strike info box at the top of seattle.gov. According to the updated story from our regional-news partners at the Seattle Times, Waste Management says it may take “several days” for its strike-contingency plan – using replacement workers – to fully kick in. However, the WM website says “regular service expected tomorrow.”

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Landmarks Board agrees to consider “Bloss House” for designation

April 21, 2010 5:43 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

“Too often, our landmarks are big, grandiose houses,” observed one member of the city Landmarks Board just before their vote moments ago, unanimously agreeing to consider designating West Seattle’s far-from-grandiose “Bloss House” as a landmark. We wrote about it two and a half weeks ago, when the Southwest Seattle Historical Society (Log House Museum) shared the news that Historic Seattle would bring the 1915 North Admiral Craftsman bungalow (4055 SW Holgate) to the board. Most board members noted that its main attribute as a potential landmark is the fact that its interior is virtually unaltered from the original Craftsman-style details, as well as its exterior, so before they agree to officially designate it, they may decide they want the nomination to include its exterior as well – though that is not usually what’s done with private residences. The home’s owner was not able to be at the hearing because of health challenges but several people spoke in support of the nomination, one citing comments on the previous WSB story as evidence of community support. The board also had a full presentation on the nomination document (text here, photos here), which includes information about West Seattle history as well as this home in particular. Next step: June 2nd is set for the hearing and vote on whether to officially declare the “Bloss House” a Seattle landmark.

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Seattle cruise season starts Monday, with ms Amsterdam’s arrival

April 21, 2010 4:43 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | Seen at sea

If you’re looking north/northeast into Elliott Bay early Monday morning – between about 5:15 and 6 am – you may see ms Amsterdam, Seattle-headquartered Holland America Line‘s flagship, which’ll be the first cruise ship to call in Seattle this season, during a 108-day around-the-world journey. The Port of Seattle is expecting 223 ship visits this year, up five from last year; Celebrity and Norwegian Cruise Line will dock at Pier 66, while Holland America, Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival will dock in Magnolia. More info here (though the schedule link doesn’t appear to be working – we’ve got a message out to the port seeking a copy).

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Earth Day Groceries Project: Arbor Heights kids’ Safeway delivery

April 21, 2010 2:57 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Environment | West Seattle news

For the 18th consecutive year, Arbor Heights Elementary teacher Mark Ahlness and students have just delivered specially decorated grocery bags to the Roxbury Safeway store. Ahlness founded the Earth Day Groceries Project, which involves not only Arbor Heights students, but also classes from many other cities (here are online reports from 2008 and 2009). On tomorrow, the official date of Earth Day, if you shop at Roxbury Safeway, you’re likely to get one of the special bags – while they last!

You can also track the Earth Day Groceries Project on Facebook (here), Twitter (here), and photos on Flickr (here).

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Waste Management, serving West Seattle (etc.), now on strike

April 21, 2010 11:26 am

| 90 COMMENTS

| Utilities | West Seattle news

(Picketers at WM on W. Marginal Way; photo by DEAN RUTZ/used with permission of the Seattle Times)
FIRST REPORT, 11:26 AM: From our citywide-news partners at the Seattle Times: The truck drivers of Waste Management are now on strike. West Seattle is among the areas they serve. WM had said they will work to keep regular service, with strike-replacement workers. More details as we get them. 11:46 AM: No official statements yet from Waste Management or Seattle Public Utilities – we are off to a story interview with an SPU rep on an unrelated topic so will be looking for an update. 11:55 AM: SPU has just sent this news release – some West Seattle customers may have missed pickups today:

Following a strike by Teamsters Local 174 garbage and yard waste drivers, some Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) customers will not have their garbage and yard waste collected today in northwest and south Seattle.

Those customers whose collections are missed today are asked to put all of their garbage and yard waste out next week on their regular collection day.

The City’s recycling services are covered by a different contract, and should not be affected by the strike. All customers are asked to keep their recycling out.

Approximately 18,000 residential customers could be affected by the strike action today in the following approximate areas:

– N. 105th St to N. 85th St, W. of SR-99
– Delridge Way SW to Beacon Ave. S, from S. Royal Brougham to SW Roxbury St.

View a detailed map of the affected area.

Members of Teamsters Local 174 went on strike after contract negotiations with Waste Management reached an impasse.

Waste Management’s collection contract with Seattle covers only about half of the city’s solid waste customers, in portions of northwest and south Seattle. Drivers in other areas of Seattle are covered by separate labor agreements and are not part of the current negotiations. Customers in those areas should continue to put all of their garbage and yardwaste out on their regular collection day.

“The City of Seattle is not part of the negotiations between Waste Management and the Teamsters; however, we are disappointed that the two parties were not able to reach an agreement and hope they continue good faith negotiations toward a speedy and successful outcome,” Seattle Public Utilities Acting Director Ray Hoffman said.

“Service delivery and the protection of public health and safety are the city’s top priority and we expect Waste Management to honor its collection contract, regardless of its dispute with the Teamsters,” Hoffman said.

SPU will provide updates as needed. Customers with solid waste service problems may call the Call Center at (206) 684-3000.

5:04 PM UPDATE: There’s a little more city-produced info on the seattle.gov home page – note the FAQ, which addresses the question about whether you can take trash to a Transfer Station for free (for now, it says “no”). Also, a news release from the Seattle Mayor’s Office has elected officials’ take on the situation, including word that the County Executive Dow Constantine and Mayor Mike McGinn have sent a joint letter – read on:Read More

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Reminder: Sidewalk work means no parking by Junction Plaza Park

April 21, 2010 11:00 am

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| Transportation | West Seattle news

Reminder that as of today, continuing for the next month or so, you can’t park alongside the Junction Plaza Park site at the northwest corner of SW Alaska/42nd SW – SDOT is starting work on the sidewalk-repair project (as previewed here 2 weeks ago), so that stretch of sidewalk will be closed too. The city says work hours will be 8 am-3 pm. Park construction is under way too; that and the sidewalk are all supposed to be done by the end of next month.

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West Seattle Wednesday: Quake drill; landmark; Morgan; Delridge

April 21, 2010 9:21 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Now that the power outage is over, a few quick notes on today’s highlights from the WSB Events calendar: Statewide earthquake drill at 9:45 am … Landmarks Board hearing for the Bloss House (here’s our previous story) at Municipal Tower downtown, 3:30 pm … Morgan Community Association meeting (agenda here) at The Kenney, 7 pm … Delridge Neighborhoods District Council (presentations including Spokane Street and Alaskan Way Viaducts updates) at Youngstown Arts Center, 7 pm.