West Seattle, Washington
14 Thursday
That photo is from eight days ago, when dozens of kids — and grownups — gathered at Delridge Community Center to sketch out and discuss their dreams for the center’s new playground, scheduled to be built in July, with the help of KaBOOM!, which works on projects like this nationwide. (Here’s our story from that day.) While costs will be dramatically lower than usual because of KaBOOM! and sponsors, the community still needs to chip in, and a major fundraiser has just been announced for the May 30th Delridge Day festival at Youngstown Arts Center – Lisa is circulating this message far and wide, and please note there’s a call for volunteers to step forward NOW:
On May 30th, the North Delridge Neighborhood Council will have a booth to promote the project at Delridge Day … We’ll have a display to raise awareness of the need for volunteers to help build the playground, take volunteer sign-ups, and have a donations jar & plant sale to raise a little “seed” money for project incidentals. We’ll also have a free activity where kids can plant seeds to take home.
Here comes the “ask” part–we need:
* volunteers to staff the booth on May 30th
* donations of plants or starts
* people to come by our booth and support our cause!
Should be a fun and an easy event to staff. I can see our sign now: “KaBOOM! and the North Delridge Neighborhood Council: Growing healthy kids and healthy communities.”If you would like to participate by donating plants or starts, or by staffing the booth, contact me at granolagulch[at]earthlink[dot]net or 937-1522.
The event in this announcement (forwarded to us by several people – thank you!) isn’t in West Seattle, but in light of the gang-linked May 1 shooting on Alki (which has now resulted in an arrest – here’s the report we published last night), it’s more than relevant – read on for details:Read More
The latest vandalism to the “Whole Foods Coming Soon” sign at the idled construction site at Fauntleroy/Alaska/39th has morphed it into a display of the site’s nickname, “Hole Foods.” (Last incident, you’ll recall, involved a date change.) We also have a bit of news on the stalled project; its revised land-use permit was officially issued on Monday, as the end of a process triggered when the design changed last summer and the project returned for Design (re-)Review. We checked with city planner Michael Dorcy, who’s assigned to the project, and the permit issuance is not necessarily a sign of anything changing – it was the result of action put into motion long before the site was put up for sale, lawsuits erupted, etc. (Here’s the site’s official city permit-info page.) We also have checked back with Matt Segrest, the local investor who’s been working to put together a deal to buy the site (reported here in April), and his update was simply “nothing new.” UPDATE: As of Thursday, the sign is gone.
EARLY DISMISSAL: Seattle Public Schools students get out 2 hours early today.
SOUTH PORTAL WORKING GROUP: This is one of three advisory groups now working on logistics for the Viaduct/tunnel future of SR99. We reported here on its first meeting two weeks ago. Today, the group (with West Seattleites Jerome Cohen, Vlad Oustimovitch and Pete Spalding) is in the Sound Transit Board Room 4-6 pm, 401 S. Jackson (map).
DELRIDGE DISTRICT COUNCIL: City Council President Richard Conlin is among the guests at tonight’s meeting, which also will include updates on the city’s draft Pedestrian Master Plan and Neighborhood Matching Fund projects. 7 pm, Youngstown Arts Center.
More on the WSB Events calendar — and for more detailed coverage of what’s just been announced for the days, weeks, months to come, check in on our Announced page!
A report of Junction car vandalism, from Courtney – including the shattered-in-place window photo: “My car was parked (Monday night) on Alaska St, between 42nd & California (next to the unfinished park, right outside my apartment) and someone put what appears to be a BB through my back driver’s side window. Lots of random crime going on in West Seattle lately; sadly now I’ve joined the victims’ club. I’m pretty sure this was just random kids; the car was not entered and nothing was taken.” In the crime-trend report at Tuesday night’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, there wasn’t a breakout about vandalism, but both car prowls and car thefts were reported to be on the decline in the past month.
Here’s the announcement:
The Girl Scouts of Western Washington will be hosting a Volunteer Information Night at the West Seattle Library on Thursday, May 28th from 6:30 to 7:30pm. It’s a great opportunity to learn all the ways to get involved with the Girl Scouts. Whether you want to work directly with girls or behind the scenes, we would love to share Girl Scouting opportunities with you. If you have a desire to help girls lead
lives of courage, confidence and character — let’s chat! No Girl Scouting experience necessary.
From West Seattle photojournalist Matt Durham of mattdurhamphotography.com:
1. Lafayette Elementary School performed their “Spring Concert of 2008” at West Seattle High Tuesday evening. 2. Anna Goldberg, Sage Kalil and music teacher Frank Seeberger play “Frere Jacques” to a crowd of approximately 300. 3. Charlie Schnell blows the trumpet during Tuesday’s concert.
Heading a bit south from Lafayette: Earlier today, we posted a request from West Seattle High School‘s DECA Marketing teacher Michelle Sloan, asking for judges for an event this Friday. She says she got a great response. We asked how her students did in their recent trip to Internationals in Southern California; she says they had a great time — the photo below shows Sumeet Chadha and Tyson Kimball, who competed in the Advertising Campaign event:
DECA is a professional organization whose high-school division is aimed at helping young people look ahead to and prepare for work in “marketing, management and entrepreneurship.”
Our video shows executive chef/co-owner Dalis Chea and crew at Fresh Bistro tonight (street level of the now-renting Mural Apartments [WSB sponsor] in The Junction, preparing Shiso Crusted Honey Pecan Prawns (see the finished product close up here in Seattle Bon Vivant‘s photos), one of a multitude of mouth-watering-sounding offerings on the menu at a special preview. We dropped by to take a look at the restaurant, a creation of West Seattle-based Herban Feast, whose proprietor BJ Duft talked with us last fall for a super-early preview. This Friday is Opening Day, as noted here last week — here’s a look inside the brand-new restaurant:
Click ahead for more photos, plus information about the opening schedule/hours:Read More
We mentioned it during our running coverage of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting (now over) – lightning flashed, thunder roared, hail pounded on the Southwest Precinct roof. Now we have a High Point view in the photo above, shared by Marco, via Twitter. Forecast, believe it or not, says “partly sunny” for tomorrow. ADDED 10:38 PM: At the peak of the downpour, we put our video camera on the floor next to our chair in the SW Precinct meeting room and pointed it at the window. The resulting video isn’t too bad. Note the low-level ambient audio is irrelevant; the rain and hail couldn’t be heard through the window:
We have mentioned this in our running updates on the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, 
but wanted to post it separately as well. Lt. Steve Paulsen says a “juvenile suspect” has been arrested in connection with the May 1st Alki shooting. He’s still in the middle of general Q/A with the attendees here on a variety of issues, but we will pursue more details ASAP. 8:19 PM UPDATE: The meeting’s over and we just caught up with Lt. Paulsen. Police aren’t releasing any more details right now – the investigation continues – other than the fact the suspect is “a juvenile” with “gang affiliation.” (As previously reported, the 19-year-old shooting victim was known to police as a gang member.) We’ll check tomorrow with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to see if we can find out the suspect’s status – whether charges have been filed, etc.
We’re at the first West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting since the Alki shooting and other high-profile incidents (like the hate-graffiti vandalism wave, in which, as we first reported earlier today, there’s been an arrest) – there’s a sizable SPD presence here, including Captain Joe Kessler, who leads the Southwest Precinct (as well as the entire Community Police Team, SWP operations Lt. Steve Paulsen, Sgt. Jeff Durden, and city attorney Tom Carr). We will post updates as they happen. 7:34 PM UPDATE: Carr spoke first, focusing on explaining the “community prosecution” program; during Q/A afterward, that discussion also has veered into a discussion of some of the problem property owners in the Delridge area, absentee landlords who some residents here say are turning a deaf ear to complaints about unruly, criminal tenants, in units for which they say the landlords collect government-subsidy money. 7:39 PM UPDATE: Lt. Paulsen is giving the crime trends update: auto theft, car prowls, assaults down, residential burglaries up, Highland Park is a particular hot spot right now for burglaries – and many, Lt. Paulsen says, are happening on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Lt. Paulsen says a juvenile suspect has been arrested in connection with the recent Alki shooting (no further details yet).
RPZ PROPOSAL: The City Council’s Transportation Committee took a look today at the proposed changes to the Restricted (formerly Residential) Parking Zone rules – changes that have drawn concern from some West Seattle neighborhood leaders. Admiral Neighborhood Association vice president Jim Del Ciello was among those who spoke at today’s hearing, as the Seattle Post-Globe reports, while also noting that councilmembers made a few tweaks, such as lowering the percentage of non-resident cars that have to be noted in a neighborhood for RPZ consideration (the original proposal said 50%, councilmembers want 35%). A public hearing is set at City Hall next Wednesday, May 27th. Next update focuses on Junction parking of all kinds:
JUNCTION PARKING COMMITTEE MEETING: The Junction Neighborhood Organization has been hoping to get an RPZ designation for part of its area, in the city’s Junction parking review that’s under way now (photo above is from our coverage of the second “walking tour” back in March). Last night, the next step in that review took place, with the first meeting of the Junction Parking Committee. Members received the latest timeline for the parking-review process:
Meeting 1: May 2009 – Overview of parking project and committee
Meeting 2: July 2009 – Review of preliminary parking study results and on-street parking tools, including bicycle, motorcycle and scooter parking
Meeting 3: September 2009 – Review of final parking study results and off-street parking, including city policies, Junction off-street lots, park and rides
Meeting 4: November 2009 – Draft preliminary recommendations and Transit & TDM, including RapidRide, In Motion
Meeting 5: January 2010 – Draft final recommendations
Meeting 6: March 2010 – Announce final plan and prepare for implementation
This is the same process first announced more than a year ago (original February 2008 WSB report here), which could result in new parking policies for The Junction, possibly even on-street pay stations.
(WSB photo from May 5)
Breaking news: A commenter on our earlier report says a suspect is in custody in the hate-graffiti vandalism around West Seattle (first report May 4), and we have confirmation from a reliable source. Leaving a message for the Seattle Police media unit to see what details they can share. P.S. Just took a second look at the comment that brought us first news of the arrest – it’s from a writer who identified himself in an earlier comment as one of the victims:
Just an update:
The police have caught the person who has been writing anti-gay slurs all over West Seattle. Kudos to the Seattle Police Department! Great Job!
I hope he spends some time behind bars so he has time to think about what he’s been doing and the grief that he’s been causing people.
6:27 PM UPDATE: Seattle Police have released a bit more information about today’s arrest, which is also now posted on the SPDBlotter site. The suspect is described as a 31-year-old man, booked for investigation of property damage, still under investigation for possible “malicious harassment” — as in, hate crime. Detective Jeff Kappel in the media unit told WSB that since this is an “active investigation,” he isn’t releasing more details such as where and how the man was taken into custody, which the SPDBlotter item says happened just after 1 this afternoon.
Just received this report from a longtime WSBer:
Someone assaulted our 14 year old on her way home from Madison today.
It occurred in the alley behind our house as she was entering the access code to open the garage.
The attack occurred at 2:25 pm approximately. We have contacted and met with Seattle Police department.
The attacker was white, 16 or 17, wore a black hoodie and had freckles. He asked her the time and then grabbed her from behind in the crotch.
She yelled fire as she has been trained to do and kicked him.
He ran off. … Three police cars are looking for the creep.
We have a followup question out for any more generalized location info we can share without violating the victim’s privacy. 5:39 PM UPDATE: The location was a few blocks due south of Madison.
Great name to have if you’re going to host a golf tournament — “Birdie.” Ken Griffey Jr.’s mom Alberta “Birdie” Griffey will host the Seniors for Juniors Golf Tournament, 1 pm August 21st at West Seattle Golf Course. It’s not just a tournament but also a fundraising auction and barbecue, with entertainment by comedian Rod Long. Entry fee is $100/person; call 206-725-0688 or e-mail info@firstatejuniorgolf.org (more info at firstatejuniorgolf.org).
Neighboring entrepreneur Rick of Rick’s Barber Shop shared the news last weekend that this was imminent, and today, it really happened: We’ve seen it with our own eyes. The many-years-closed shop formerly known as Cavvy’s, 5247 California SW (map), is now open again. Under new management, but “old” ownership – the building’s owner, Wayne Whitten, is trying his hand at retail ownership (he’s worked at stores including McLendon’s). Check the video clip above for a look all around the store (starting with the life ring from the state ferry Walla Walla): “Everything’s for sale,” Wayne told us. Cash only. “Like a yard sale!” says one of the cheery makeshift window signs. But there is something he needs – a name for the shop. Note the old sign is gone:
“What should we call it?” he asked. We didn’t have a pithy suggestion – he says barber Rick offered “Wayne’s World”; we said we’d ask you. So if you have a suggestion, leave a comment. And drop by to see Wayne, who’s expecting to be open 10 am-5 pm Tuesdays-Saturdays TFN, with more merchandise to be added, including what he calls “antiquey” items:
Amanda from SOMA Bodywork (WSB sponsor) also mentioned this in the WSB Forums, but in case you are or know a beekeeper and haven’t seen this yet:
I was gone for a week and a swarm of honeybees has moved into my worm bin. Real honeybees like we had when I was a kid. I hardly thought they existed anymore! I actually wondered if someone had lost their swarm. Anyway, I’d love to have access to my worm bin again, so if any beekeepers out there are interested in capturing them, call me! 206-979-6106. Between Juneau and Findlay on 46th Ave SW.
Police are trying to catch whoever is vandalizing various spots in West Seattle with hate graffiti. A WSB’er reported yesterday that she called police after seeing a vandal in the act. Today, we just got a note from Alex, who says it appears the site where the vandalism originally came to light, a Morgan Junction garage door, has been vandalized again. As someone suggested in a comment on a previous report, at this point, given the persistence of this, and the status of the acts as a potential hate crime, call 911 if you think you see someone doing it.
We told you last month about the DECA Marketing students from West Seattle High School headed to Internationals competition. Now their teacher Michelle Sloan has a request for the community, to help with some more-local judging:
Every few months, students in the marketing class make projects and compete with other teams in the class.
This time our project consists of creating a hotel and marketing it. At this time we are looking for judges who would be available Friday May 22nd from 11:00-12:00.
The judges can be community members, business owners, people with backgrounds in advertising, graphic design, and marketing.
Thanks!
They can reach me at masloan@seattleschools.org
The forecast looks promising so far as car-wash weather goes – here’s the announcement from SafeFutures Youth Center:
Car Wash to Help
SafeFutures Youth Center After-School Program
May 21st, Thursday, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
6337 35th Avenue SW (next to U-Haul)
Earlier this year, we covered Seattle Police making a donation to SafeFutures, which is headquartered near the car-wash site.
Just out of the WSB inbox:
Amazing Yard Sale Memorial Day Weekend
More than 50 families from Shorewood Christian School have amassed valued treasures, tools, building supplies, collectibles, furniture, TONS of children’s/baby clothing & toys, housewares, books, electronics, sporting goods and sooo much more!! You really have to see it to believe it…we’re not joking!!!
Date: Sat., Sun., Mon., May 23, 24, 25th.
Location: 10300 28th Ave. S.W. West Seattle. Cross streets are 28th and Roxbury. Time: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
METRO OPTIMISM: Kery Murakami at the Seattle Post-Globe (the citywide news site run by ex-P-I journalists) writes that a Metro audit report discussed this morning suggests bus-service cuts forced by budget woes may not have to be as big as feared. See his story here.
TIDE TURNING: Fascinating study reported at Three Sheets Northwest (hat tip seattlepi.com for pointing it out): Along the West Coast, the difference between daily high and low tides is growing. Researchers aren’t sure why, but they’re working on it. This by the way gives us an excuse to remind tide-walking fans that the next round of noteworthy minus tides starts this Friday morning – here’s the tide chart.
SIDEWALK ART UPDATE: If you’re on Facebook (where you can “friend” us as WS Blog), check out the photo album by SuttonBeresCuller showing the latest photos from its sidewalk-art installation in front of the new Morgan Junction Park. We first reported on the plan for this installation exactly 7 months ago; other neighborhoods declined the chance to get it, but Morgan Junction had no qualms and it’s there now for your sidewalk-chalking enjoyment.
That video is from three months ago today, when the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition gave river tours after releasing its report on a community-created vision of the polluted waterway’s future (our full report is here). Last night at the Highland Park Action Committee‘s environmentally themed meeting (earlier reports here and here), DRCC’s Cari Simson told the group about the latest turn in the road to that cleanup: A coalition of those she described as “the polluters,” referencing the contamination that has made part of the river a Superfund site, has released its own draft report regarding the future cleanup — a “draft feasibility study” (officially announced here) – and DRCC isn’t liking what it’s seeing so far. Read on to hear why – and to hear about upcoming events (boat tour, kayaking tours and more) in which you can participate:Read More
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