STOLEN VAN: Stephanie hopes you can help track down the van her husband needs for his blacksmith/metal-arts work: “Our 1986 Toyota van (silver with black steel racks with red tops on four corners) was stolen last night, 11/16. It’s a work van, really important. We live on 12th Avenue near Elmgrove [map]. Anyone who sees this van, please call it in. Thanks.”
NEWEST STATS: Just as Stephanie‘s note came in, a short meeting for the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council was wrapping up. The key information presented – the newest West Seattle crime stats:
Car thefts: “Up a little bit” – 2 recent arrests, too
Car prowls: Up a LOT – 30 more in West Seattle in the past month, than a month earlier
Residential burglaries: DOWN a LOT – 47 in West Seattle in the past month, down from 62 in the previous month
Some interesting context to those trends – and some reasons for hope they might all be on the downside soon – read on for more details:Read More
Good crowd tonight at Alki Mail and Dispatch (WSB sponsor), which invited friends and neighbors to come help celebrate its 20th anniversary during a three-hour open house. The celebration actually continues all the way through Saturday – but the gift’s for you: 20 percent off everything – see the coupon on Alki Mail’s newly remodeled website (where you’ll find other cool links, including Alki Mail’s latest tweets – pretty sure they’re the only mailbox business in West Seattle where you can check via Twitter to see if the day’s mail is in!). Alki Mail’s at 47th & Admiral (map).
Since our update this afternoon looking ahead to tomorrow’s scheduled Seattle School Board vote on maps for the new Student Assignment Plan, including a letter with one proposal for amending them, we’ve received another suggested amendment. Janne Endreo and David Broadstone say they’ve sent the proposed “Equitable Enrollment Amendment for West Seattle” to all board members, explaining:
It is a proposal for boundary changes just for the middle and high school assignments (not elementary). As parents who have students at both Madison, Sealth and WSHS, we are well aware that any changes to a Student Assignment plan will affect our whole community. Our goal is that both “sets” of our secondary schools in West Seattle be the best schools possible, and that all kids will want to attend.
This proposal helps to balance some of the school-wide inequities which resulted from the most recent changes in the Student Assignment plan- most notably the 35% projected enrollment cuts at Madison & WSHS, as well as the diversity imbalance in all our secondary schools, and the issue of keeping as many kids as possible in a “walk zone” with their closest neighborhood school.
They say the amendment’s goals are:
1. To balance enrollment more equitably between the Denny/Sealth and Madison/WSHS secondary schools;
2. To keep as many students as possible in their neighborhood “walk zones”; and
3. To keep as much diversity as possible in all of our schools.
Proposal:
Re-assign the “No Walk” areas (as shown on the High School Walk Zone maps in the SPS Data Book) to the middle and high school secondary schools for:
1. Gatewood’s assignment area- The southern portion of Gatewood (which is south of WSHS’s red-lined “Walk Zone” area) to be assigned to the closer secondary schools of Denny and Sealth;
2. West Seattle Elementary’s assignment area- The northern portion of WS Elementary (which is north of Sealth’s red-lined “Walk Zone”) to be assigned to the closer Madison and WSHS schools.
You can see their proposed maps here (Chief Sealth/Denny) and here (WSHS/Madison). Again, tomorrow night’s board meeting is 6 pm at district HQ in SODO; West Seattle board rep Steve Sundquist has a community chat scheduled for 10 am tomorrow at Delridge Library; e-mail feedback on the maps, whether you love them/hate them/want to change them, is being accepted at newassign@seattleschools.org as well as in individual board members’ boxes (addresses all here).
The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council‘s monthly meeting is coming up shortly – 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster) — so we’ll get the newest info there about local crime trends. But first – two quick reports about car and home break-ins – read on:Read More
A followup to our most recent item about citizens complaining to the city regarding backups at the Admiral/California intersection – Tim e-mailed SDOT and got this reply from engineer Chris Faulkner – same person whose responses were shared by commenters – indicating they’ve figured out the problem:
I stand behind my timing and believe that it is working well. Unfortunately, because of malfunctions, my timing has not always been running and the signal has been working erratically. Every time that I had been out to observe it everything was worked well, within the past 3 weeks I have spent three PM Peaks and two AM Peaks at this intersection, verifying that everything is working. On my last trip the signal began skipping phases and traffic backed up very badly, like the complaints that I have been receiving. Because I was at the intersection to observe it, I was finally able to diagnose the problem and we are working on a solution.
Currently, we believe the problem was an underlying problem with the electronics and when we installed the new timing it exasperated the problem. Since last Wednesday, the intersection has been placed in a different mode, kind of like a windows safe mode. In this mode the intersection cannot skip phases, but it also cannot run coordinated timing. The consequence of this mode was that the intersection is working tolerable well during off peaks, but horrible during AM and PM Peak times. I apologize for this and want you to know that we are doing everything that we can to correct these problems. We plan on changing out some of the electronics later today in an attempt to address the problem and hope to put it back into my timing after that and observe it over the next few days to see if we have corrected the malfunctioning equipment.
Admiral/California drivers, let us know if things do get better!
No wide-angle lens so we couldn’t get the full arc, but there’s most of it, looking northeast from Gatewood a few moments ago. As for the afternoon forecast – looks like the gusty wind, up to 40 mph, may return as soon as tomorrow afternoon.
Tomorrow night, the Seattle School Board‘s scheduled to vote on setting attendance-area maps for schools around the city, as part of the new Student Assignment Plan changing the district’s prevailing philosophy from “choose any school” to “attend your neighborhood school.” Anyone who wants to get the ear of West Seattle’s school-board rep hours before the vote is invited to Steve Sundquist‘s community chat tomorrow morning, 10-11:30 am, at Delridge Library; meantime, the online agenda for tomorrow night’s meeting includes one amendment that will be proposed to the West Seattle maps (current versions of which are linked here):
Make the boundary between the Alki and Lafayette attendance areas be a straight line on 47th Avenue Southwest from Southwest Admiral Way to Southwest Hanford Street, with both sides of 47th Avenue Southwest being in the Lafayette attendance area.
That would straighten out the “notch” in the current map, as shown below, changing the line instead to parallel where the blue and pink zones now are divided:
The three other amendments involve maps in other parts of the city. Other amendments are possible, but would have to be made by board members speaking at the meeting. This afternoon, we have some concrete suggestions proposed by three West Seattleites involved with local schools through the Chief Sealth International Baccalaureate Program and Gatewood Elementary – they’ve sent us an open letter with their suggestions for amendments to the boundaries – read on for the full text:Read More
That photo’s from last April, when City Councilmembers Sally Clark and Tim Burgess joined North Delridge neighbors in a tour organized by then-ND Neighborhood Council chair Mike Dady, looking at some of the problem properties around the area – some abandoned, some with criminal/suspicious activity and landlords who seemed to be turning a blind eye, some just plain falling apart (WSB coverage here). Afterward, Clark, Burgess and city department heads who joined the tour talked about possible legislation and rule changes to ease neighbors, law enforcers and others’ powerlessness in getting something done – and now, some of those proposals are closer to reality. This afternoon at 1:30 pm, the Public Safety, Human Services and Education Committee chaired by Burgess plans a hearing on the “chronic nuisance properties” bill beefing up penalties for landlords (see it here); then tomorrow at 9 am, the Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee chaired by Clark will take up the “Derelict Housing” bill (see it here), which would allow demolition of some properties even before a new plan is on the table for their sites. Both meetings are at City Hall downtown, open to the public, and will be televised on Seattle Channel (online at seattlechannel.org, or cable 21). 1:51 PM UPDATE: The Public Safety Committee hearing is under way now, with public comment from people including a West Seattle woman who says her neighborhood is a “war zone” because of problems a nearby landlord refuses to address.
Lots of school news today, and here’s more: Seattle Public Schools just announced a set of community meetings about its “curriculum alignment” plan, aimed at more consistency among schools (as explained here) – and one is in West Seattle, a week from tonight, Tuesday 11/24, 6:30 pm, West Seattle High School.
Courtesy of the project team at DKA, new photos taken just yesterday at the Denny/Sealth construction site in Westwood – where DKA says that as of the end of October, “60% of the structural steel needed for the construction of the new Galleria and Denny International Middle School had been delivered to the construction site. Footings for the new Galleria and Denny school are now 90% complete as are the underground utilities for the Galleria.” Here’s a view with more of the new Denny’s “skeleton” (left side):
For perspective – from an earlier story, here’s a rendering of the entire project site from the same direction – looking south – what you see above is roughly at the rear center of this (the galleria attaches the new Denny to the existing Sealth):
DKA’s update continues:
In the existing Chief Sealth High School building, the contractor completed framing walls on the first floor and is 70% complete with wall framing on the 2nd floor. The contractor continued work on the mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-in in the Chief Sealth building.
This month, November, 2009, work will continue on the foundation and walls for the new Denny International Middle School. Deliveries of the structural steel for the new Denny School will continue as will the steel erection of the Commons area. The contractor will continue framing walls in Chief Sealth High School. Site work will continue on the south and west sides of the project.
More construction photos are online here. Sealth renovations are to be complete in time for classes to resume at the site this fall, after two years in temporary quarters at Boren; the new Denny is to be complete in early 2011. Work’s been under way at the site since July 2008.
Two weather notes. First, a note this morning from Kimber:
I am wondering if there have been other basements flooding in the area. I’ve been up all night trying to stay on top of the foot of water in my basement. Are others having the same problems? I live SW of the Junction on 38th south of the firehouse.
Second, the forecast – sun’s out now and today looks fairly calm, but more rain, with wind gusting up to 40 mph, is predicted by tomorrow night.
Music to money-free-shop by – that’s what you hear harpist Kathy Wilmering performing in our video from last night’s Sustainable West Seattle Money-Free Shopping Spree. So what kind of sustainable gifts did folks exchange? We asked Sarah and Kate to tell us what they were offering:
SWS’s event was held at the brand-new High Point Neighborhood Center. Meantime, a couple images from last weekend:
Lynn Ogdon shared Tom Wolken‘s photo of the Chief Sealth High School Jazz Band after their performance in the Mill Creek Jazz Festival on Saturday, celebrating “a job well done,” as Lynn puts it. And from Sunday, Dina Lydia Johnson shares more photos from the Highland Park Improvement Club‘s 90th birthday – first, HPIC trustees:
And West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen was there to present an official city proclamation:
Coming up at the HPIC building in just a few weeks, the Highland Park Action Committee will have a holiday potluck replacing its November/December meetings – 7 pm on Wednesday, Dec. 2.
Two headlines out of tonight’s meeting of the West Seattle Junction Parking Project Committee: First, 21 months after first word of the then-impending review, it’s all over. Results: A relatively minor set of changes in the works – anticlimactic since the city announced in July that the Junction study would NOT result in pay stations. Second, while the city’s original plan called for the 2009 Junction review to be followed up by a 2010 Morgan Junction review, Community Parking Program boss Allison Schwartz confirmed tonight that only 2 neighborhoods in the city will be studied next year (down from 5) because of budget cuts, and neither will be in West Seattle. So, back to the conclusion of The Junction’s parking review – read on for details on the changes, and what happens now:Read More
That’s Mayor Nickels‘ first post-election TV interview, with KING5‘s Jean Enersen, broadcast tonight. Only a few minutes long, but you hear him say why he thinks he lost, and what he considers his biggest failure. Meantime, his successor, Mayor-elect Mike McGinn, has posted a video on YouTube with a message to citizens:
We linked that video in the WSB Forums earlier today along with the transition team’s request for your answers to three questions – see them here.
Story and photo by Mary Sheely
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
A little bit of heaven is coming to Admiral Junction.
Heavenly Pastry and Cake will be taking over the storefront at 2604 California SW (formerly the West Seattle Herald offices). But while the bakery location will be new, the business isn’t — Heavenly Pastry and Cake owner Allison Barnes and husband Michael Stein, along with various nieces and nephews, are more than familiar to visitors at farmers’ markets around town.
“If we ever miss one, we hear about it next week, like, “Where were you guys?’” says Barnes.
It’s no wonder — the selection of “sweeties and savories” made by Barnes and her “partner in crime” Clove Burt include the Raspberry-Hazelnut Yum fruit bar (“Our niece named it, because that’s what it makes you say,” says Stein) scones made with heavy cream, and the signature Oma Stein’s Pretzel, from a recipe by Michael’s German grandmother.
Update from the King County Council – looks like they’ve agreed to consider candidates who want the permanent job, as well as those who don’t. They’ve now fully laid out the process for appointing a successor to Dow Constantine in the County Council 8th District seat once he becomes King County Executive a week from tomorrow – read on to see the full process, who’s on the advisory committee that’ll recommend finalists, and how to apply:Read More
This afternoon we welcome a new WSB sponsor that’s about to celebrate a milestone: Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of Alki Mail and Dispatch, and they’re throwing a party tomorrow evening to celebrate. More on that shortly – first, here’s what Alki Mail and Dispatch wants you to know about their business: Proprietor Don Wahl (second from right) says it’s not just the convenience of all their services – get your mail, send a package, grab some coffee, use a computer – in one place, he also believes his business has thrived for 20 years because people want somewhere to connect with others – even in our world of so much screen time, you need face time too and that’s what happens at Alki Mail and Dispatch. Don says that’s what keeps people coming back – the fact that people know you, and know what you need. He describes Alki Mail and Dispatch as being like “Cheers” – where everybody knows your name, only with caffeine instead of alcohol. Recalling his business’s beginnings, Don says fax machines and computers and copiers cost a lot 20 years ago, so he saw a real opportunity, and his late partner Don Cavanaugh had owned a similar business, so they thought they could make a go of it. Indeed they did – on the beach for 15 years, and now for 5 years at a location Wahl owns. You’ll find Alki Mail and Dispatch at 4701 SW Admiral Way (map) – online at www.alkimail.com – and on Twitter, where customers can find out when the mail’s in, at @alkimail. Tomorrow night’s party, by the way, is 5-8 pm – stop in and say hi! We thank Alki Mail and Dispatch for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our sponsor team, and info on joining, all here.
For over a hundred years the Fraternal Order of Eagles have been offering Thanksgiving meals across the country. The Eagles of Washington State will be holding free or low cost dinners at 24 of their 97 locations across the state. This is the first year the Eagles have put together what they are calling “A Thanksgiving To Remember”. Every year the Eagles offer these free meals, but have never put together a statewide effort to encourage as many locations as possible to participate and to get the word out. The hope is that it will be a time to remember what we have to be thankful for. A dinner to remember for those who attend, and a warm memory for those who volunteer to make it happen.
In West Seattle the Eagles offered a Thanksgiving dinner for many of the years since they opened here in 1948. The last time was about ten years ago. This year West Seattle Eagles will revive the tradition and offer a completely free meal on Thanksgiving Day from 2-5 at their hall. The hall will be open to anyone who would like to attend. There is no fee or any donation to being asked for. The Eagles motto is “People Helping People” and a portion of our mission statement is: “international non-profit organization, unites fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills, and by promoting peace”
The West Seattle Eagles hopes that anyone who wants to share a good meal and good company will join us in a traditional family friendly dinner. We hope that anyone who does not have family plans this thanksgiving will come down and share the holiday with us.
The menu will be turkey with all the trimmings and desert. We are planning on serving at least two hundred people. No reservations needed.
This is in addition to, and separate from, the traditional annual free Thanksgiving dinner noon-3 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy,mentioned here just this morning.
In recent weeks, we’ve reported on a string of holdups at West Seattle/White Center-area convenience stores. Now, Seattle Police think they have the suspects in custody. The 4 juvenile male suspects actually were arrested after a robbery in the Rainier Valley (4400 S. Mead; map) last Thursday – written up on the SPDBlotter here without any mention of other incidents – then today, we confirmed with the SPD Media Unit that Southwest Precinct detectives believe those same suspects are linked to the robberies in this area. Det. Renee Witt in the Media Unit tells us three of the suspects are 16, and the fourth is 13. Prosecutors are working on charges against the four; we don’t know for sure yet which ones they’ll be charged in connection with, but some of the recent robberies (as linked from the WSB Crime Watch page) included two in one night in early November and a robbery shortly after a holdup attempt on the night of October 22nd.
Salty’s on Alki sent out a media invite about a fancy dinner to taste holiday fare and see the popular nutcrackers. We e-mailed back and said, never mind the dinner, can we just see the nutcrackers? And this morning, they obliged, as the fabled decorations arrived. (The music in the background of the video, by the way, wasn’t added by us – exterior speakers provided the soundtrack.) Inside, ballerinas Wisten Klein (in white) and Andi Bryzinda (in red) from Evergreen City Ballet greeted the first nutcracker:
They’ll both be in “The Nutcracker” next month at the Ikea Center for the Performing Arts and the Auburn Performing Arts Center. Oh, and we peeked inside the truck for a look at a few of the others:
In case you’re wondering – Salty’s tells us they still have a few reservations available for Thanksgiving at Alki and Redondo. They’re also offering “Thanksgiving to go” (explained here).
(photo added 12:28 pm)
On our way to check – it’s a ‘fire in single-family residence’ call in the 8600 block of 22nd SW. 11:41 AM UPDATE: Small fire in the house’s breaker box, out now, no one hurt.
If you were with us last winter, you know we often mention the National Weather Service “forecast discussions” as a source of behind-the-scenes details elaborating on the forecasts themselves. The newest one says the worst of the next round of wind, late tonight, is most likely to hit north of the city. Be ready anyway, of course. 12:24 PM UPDATE:Cliff Masshas updated his site; he’s expecting 30-40 mph in the city, not much more than we saw overnight.
Car thefts: “Up a little bit” – 2 recent arrests, too
Residential burglaries: DOWN a LOT – 47 in West Seattle in the past month, down from 62 in the previous month
Results: A relatively minor set of changes in the works – anticlimactic since the city 
and they’re throwing a party tomorrow evening to celebrate. More on that shortly – first, here’s what Alki Mail and Dispatch wants you to know about their business: Proprietor Don Wahl (second from right) says it’s not just the convenience of all their services – get your mail, send a package, grab some coffee, use a computer – in one place, he also believes his business has thrived for 20 years because people want somewhere to connect with others – even in our world of so much screen time, you need face time too and that’s what happens at Alki Mail and Dispatch. Don says that’s what keeps people coming back – the fact that people know you, and know what you need. He describes Alki Mail and Dispatch as being like “Cheers” – where everybody knows your name, only with caffeine instead of alcohol. Recalling his business’s beginnings, Don says fax machines and computers and copiers cost a lot 20 years ago, so he saw a real opportunity, and his late partner Don Cavanaugh had owned a similar business, so they thought they could make a go of it. Indeed they did – on the beach for 15 years, and now for 5 years at a location Wahl owns. You’ll find Alki Mail and Dispatch at 4701 SW Admiral Way (
In recent weeks, we’ve reported on a string of holdups at West Seattle/White Center-area convenience stores. Now, 
| 4 COMMENTS