West Seattle, Washington
06 Thursday
(9/28/08 photo by David Hutchinson)
Northwest Hope and Healing expects more than 1,000 runners and walkers for the second annual Alki Beach 5K Walk/Run (WSB sponsor) this Sunday – 
still time to sign up – just go here – you’re helping NWHH help breast-cancer patients. Meantime – not sure yet what you’re doing tonight? Rainbow Bingo returns to the Senior Center of West Seattle tonight (doors open 5 and there’s a ukulele pre-show!), and it’s Family Fun Friday at Hiawatha Community Center as well as Family Skate Night at Alki Community Center, and Family Night at the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor), as well as KISS Pre-Concert-Ticket-Sale Party night at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor). Also this weekend – Tibbetts UMC‘s centennial and two food drives, just part of more than FIFTY events/activities in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup, brought to you by Skylark Cafe and Club – read on!Read More
FIGHTING GRAFFITI: This thread regarding graffiti vandalism at a local school is an excellent example of what the WSB Forums – and discussion here in the WSB news section too – are all about, at their best. It started with a citizen concern about getting police to pay attention to a problem; other members joined the discussion, we secured some information, the original post’er followed up, and now more action is being taken. Read about it – and/or join the discussion – here.
WEEKEND SALES: Reminder that yard/garage sales (and business sales too) can be listed free in the WSB Forums’ Freebies/Deals/Sales section – sale season is starting to ebb but there are a few for this weekend listed here.
Though he won’t be in office next year, Mayor Nickels is still charged with presenting a budget proposal – and he’s doing that right now before the Seattle City Council; watch it live online via Seattle Channel. 2:35 PM UPDATE: The speech is over; it was more of a farewell address and list of accomplishments, than a detailed budget presentation (all that will be in the documentation – which you can find here). Among a few mentions: 446,000 potholes filled (and a plug for continuing to report them to 206-684-ROAD), 21 more patrol-officer positions to be added to Seattle Police, and six reservoirs covered or being covered (including Myrtle and West Seattle/Westcrest). As noted here yesterday, three budget hearings are coming up, all listed here.
This project — for most of the section of The Bridge between 99 and I-5 — is considered a key component of the road improvements that will keep West Seattle from being stuck in total gridlock when Alaskan Way Viaduct work starts in earnest – so the contract is big news – read on for the announcement (plus, here’s the project page on the city website, and here’s our archive of project coverage):Read More
Sorry for the short notice – we just found out the memorial is today: Dean Fraker, longtime operator of Fraker’s Market on SW Alaska near what is now Ercolini Park (noted here in a then-and-now story last year), died recently in Pierce County, less than a month after his 87th birthday, and his memorial is at 2 pm today at Trinity Community Church, 3807 Reith Road in Kent (map). We’re working on a longer story about his life and times and a unique slice of West Seattle history, but wanted to get quick word out now (and thanks to Dale for the original tip).
FAUNTLEROY/CALIFORNIA SIGNAL: You may recall our story from last week, in which the city’s project manager for the now-virtually-complete Fauntleroy Way road rebuild/repave/rechannelization, Jessica Murphy, said crews would be out this week to fix the Fauntleroy/California signal timing. According to longtime WSBer and nearby resident Mike, looks like they have been (we’re checking to see if SDOT will confirm 12:26 pm – just got confirmation from Murphy, “Fauntleroy and California has been restored to normal operation”).
SOUTHWEST POOL: Last week, the city Parks Department warned that a problem detected during federally mandated drain-upgrade work could further delay the reopening of West Seattle’s only city-run year-round pool. According to a note on the Southwest Pool home page, that seems to be the case – reopening is now tentatively scheduled for October 19; by then, the shutdown will have lasted almost two months.
All three of West Seattle’s high schools play football tonight, and all three games are at 7 pm: Seattle Lutheran (1-2) is at Concrete (2-1); West Seattle High School (2-1) is at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) against Nathan Hale (1-2); Chief Sealth (1-2) is playing Ingraham (1-1) at the Northwest Athletic Complex (map). Sealth is coming off its win against Cleveland last week; we went to the school this morning to talk with defensive coordinator Ernest Policarpio about tonight’s game:
We’ll have the results of all three games here tonight – our WS Sports coverage archive is the place to check any time for the latest; we’re also planning to tweet the WSHS-Nathan Hale game (check out our “live events” Twitter channel after 7 pm, @wsblive). For even more about high-school sports, check out our collaborative partners at the Seattle Times, with a huge database of info on schedules, scores, rosters and more (this is the starting page).
That’s the crew at WestSide Baby – standing by for another hour or so to accept old carseats for recycling – just take them to 10032 15th SW (here’s a map).
A sign of the development slowdown – the Southwest Design Review Board hasn’t met in 2 months – no projects to review. But now the schedule shows encores for two redevelopment projects that have both been before the SWDRB at least once: The Kenney and Admiral Safeway (each of those links will take you to the official city project page). The city’s scheduling page cautions that this date is tentative, but for now, they’re both on the schedule for a SWDRB meeting on October 22nd at Youngstown Arts Center in North Delridge. The last review for The Kenney was in May (WSB coverage here); since then, its iconic cupola-topped Seaview building has been declared a city landmark. The last review for the Admiral Safeway project was in November (WSB coverage here); last Tuesday, the city announced it’s seeking comments on the request to “vacate” an alley section that goes through the site. If the scheduling doesn’t change, The Kenney is scheduled for a 6:30 hearing October 22, followed by the 8 pm review for Admiral Safeway.
From Matthew:
Gatewood hill area behind Thriftway. (Wednesday) night an air compressor was stolen from the back of a pick-up parked on the corner of Heights Ave and 41st Ave SW [map].
He says the item is so heavy that it would have taken at least two people to move it from that truck. Meantime, from a Fairmount Springs resident, a report that’s also a question:
I am writing because I came home (Thursday) night to find an SPD burglary alert flier on my front porch. I live on the corner of 40th and Juneau [map]. It states that a burglary occurred within my block.
However, the resident went on to say, she can’t find any reports about that burglary online – here or elsewhere. So she’s wondering if anybody else knows what happened and where. (You can answer in a comment, or feel free to send us the info and we’ll update.)
Full house Thursday night at High Point Library for Gatewood author Lyanda Lynn Haupt as she discussed and read from her buzzed-about new book “Crow Planet.” From two nights earlier — we forgot to share one of the photos we got during the “Faces of High Point” mural shoot at Commons Park Amphitheater:
With more than an hour to go during the shoot, they’d already had 50 people show up, and more were in line. The photos of High Point residents will be incorporated into a mural at the new Neighborhood Center, scheduled to open November 14th.
Next February, you’ll be asked to approve two Seattle Public Schools levies: Operations and BTA III. 
Last night at Madison Middle School, district employees gathered to outline the plan and answer questions. Only a handful of concerned/curious citizens showed up (including West Seattle-residing district watchdog Chris Jackins); the planning meeting here last October didn’t draw a crowd either. We did get some information about what’s in the plan for West Seattle: A water-line replacement for Arbor Heights Elementary, masonry reinforcement for Gatewood Elementary, fire-suppression upgrades for Lafayette Elementary, energy-efficient light switches and turf replacement for Southwest Athletic Complex. (That work isn’t due immediately, but, it was explained, money from this levy will be stretching out to 2020, and the turf will need replacing before then.) Also, if the ground-source heat pump that Madison is using now shows significant promise for helping other schools, there will be money in February’s vote to install it elsewhere. One of the district-affiliated people at the meeting, West Seattle’s school board rep Steve Sundquist, said it’ll be important for the district to promote the “green” elements of the levy plan, since local residents are interested in sustainability. Levy-planning info is here; next step, the proposals will be presented to the School Board in early November, which is also when a public hearing will be set, before a board vote in mid-November and then the election next February.
CHIEF SEALTH JAZZ BAND CAR WASH FRIDAY: Just got word that a fundraising car wash for the Chief Sealth High School Jazz Band is happening Friday afternoon. From Monica Kenny:
The forecast for this weekend is sunny, is your car ready? Bring it to the Chief Sealth Jazz Band car wash fundraiser and let us do the dirty work! Friday, September 25th from 3-5PM in the parking lot at Sealth @ Boren (5950 Delridge Way SW).
Here’s the Chief Sealth Music website; here’s a map to the car-wash location.
WSHS GRAD NIGHT FUNDRAISING BOOKFAIR NEXT 3 DAYS: West Seattle High School Grad Night 2010 will get up to 15 percent of the proceeds of any purchase Friday-Saturday-Sunday at any Barnes and Noble (not online) if you use Voucher 10001295 – this was provided through WSHS but we’re told you can also give the number at the register and it’ll count.
Followup on the search for “Londey,” the beloved bear whose disappearance broke the hearts of a local family because he was a gift from a relative who died this summer (as explained here): He’s home! Just got this note from Rebekah, along with the photo at left. She wrote, “I just thought I’d pass on the update. LONDEY HAS BEEN FOUND! This morning we received a call from Alki Cafe! Please enjoy this photo of Luka slathering her Londey Bear with kisses after they were reunited. Thank you so much for posting our story. We love West Seattle so much.”
From last night’s meeting of the West Seattle Junction Parking Project Committee (photo left): 19 months after first word of the parking study in the greater Junction area, SDOT has one more recommendation (besides the announcement two months ago that pay stations would NOT be suggested: The city is now proposing adding 2-hour zones in several spots, including most of California SW between Edmunds and Dawson, 44th SW between Edmunds and Alaska, a section of California north of Genesee, much of 42nd between Alaska and Oregon, the south half of 41st between Alaska and Oregon, and the south side of Alaska between 40th and 41st. In addition, two blocks of 1-hour zones on Alaska between 36th and 38th would be changed from 1-hour zones to 2-hour zones. A rough-draft map was shown at last night’s meeting as well as a West Seattle Junction Association meeting earlier in the day; project manager Dante Taylor says an official version of the map is in the works right now so it can be shared publicly as soon as possible. He told the group that the message emerging from the Junction parking study was a need for consistent time limits on parking – and this would be a way of achieving that. The city found that most people who come to The Junction are there for no more than three hours. This still doesn’t address the major concern of residents in the residential zones along 41st and 42nd between Alaska and Oregon – daytime parking taken up by workers from nearby construction projects, for example – so they remain interested in Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) deployment; the Junction Neighborhood Organization and Junction Association will need to discuss possible boundaries and hours, it was noted. Next step: The proposal is scheduled to be presented at the Southwest District Council‘s next meeting, 7 pm October 7th, board room at South Seattle Community College; more background info is available on the project’s official website.
Again this fall, three “Blessing of the Animals” events are scheduled in West Seattle – in case you haven’t seen them on the Events calendar yet, we’re mentioning them here since they’re just a little more than a week away: Providence Mount St. Vincent, 10:30 am October 3rd (meet in the front lobby); Alki UCC, special service 10 am October 4th (sanctuary); St. John the Baptist, noon October 4th in the nearby West Seattle High School parking lot. (Photo above is from St. John’s event last year.) All are open to any and all pets and their owners. Blessings are scheduled in many places around the country/world in honor of the feast day for St. Francis of Assisi (patron saint of animals), which is Oct. 4th this year.
That’s the trailer for “Happy Feet,” which is the feature for Family Movie Night outdoors at Schmitz Park Elementary tomorrow – raising money for the 4th Grade Islandwood Program Fund. $3 per person, with kids 3 and under are free (but “no dropoffs,” the school asks). “Doors open” at 6 – bring a chair and/or blanket – and in addition to the admission fee, money for concessions, 50 cents to $2, including hot dogs, popcorn, candy, water, soda and hot chocolate. Here’s a map to the school. (Thanks to Tony for the tip!)
Thanks to Alki photographer Pete R. for sharing photos of a baby harbor seal resting on a float off shore. As we have mentioned here recently, West Seattle-based Seal Sitters say seal-pup season is now in full swing, and ask everyone to be extra careful when these babies turn up – onshore or offshore – taking a break while their moms go off in search of food. Seal Sitters are tracking some of the visitors on their website (read the stories here); that’s also where you can find out what to do if you happen onto a seal that no one’s guarding yet!
With a couple weeks gone by since the one-month Delridge Produce Cooperative “Mobile Market” experiment, DPC invites you to a party tonight to announce results of the survey conducted during the mobile produce-stand pilot project – and to celebrate the community’s support and involvement. A reminder from DPC leader Galena White:
We’re having a party tonight from 7-9 pm at Delridge Community Center to thank the volunteers, attendees, and donors for all their help with the ‘Mobile Market.’ Our main attraction of the evening will be the revealing of the results of our 525-person survey, but we’ll also have a band and dessert and free tote bags. Please let people know to come – it’s free!
We’ve gotten alerts from both Metro and SDOT, so for everyone who drives along 4th into downtown, we’re sharing word of work that starts on Monday and its potential effects – read on:Read More
Imagine revisiting your high school AND elementary school in the same day, greeted as a returning hero. That’s what astronaut (US Navy Ret.) Capt. Gregory Johnson has experienced today – after his speech at the West Seattle High School Foundation breakfast (here’s our coverage, with video), he went on to speak late this morning at Schmitz Park Elementary, where a jampacked lunchroom heard him reminisce about – among other things – being on the playground when the 1965 earthquake hit. Johnson was hailed as an example that “you can be ANYTHING you want” really is more than a platitude.
It may have been most noteworthy because so many other Seattle political forums/debates seem rather tame and pleasant, seldom much discernible disagreement, and when disagreement is voiced, it’s voiced relatively softly. But not in the Seattle City Attorney debate that just wrapped up before the West Seattle Democratic Women. This event frequently erupted with disagreement and accusations – with challenger Pete Holmes‘ criticism of incumbent Tom Carr (photo left) often meeting with Carr retorting that what Holmes had just said was wrong or distorted. Points on which they disagreed included the fate of domestic-violence advocates in the City Attorney’s Office – Carr alleged that Holmes wants to cut the jobs, Holmes says they should be “independent” and separate from the office so they can better advocate for the victims; he also expressed concern about “no-contact” orders in potential misdemeanor domestic-violence cases, where he suggested things might be blown out of proportion – after that, Carr said Holmes’ answer “scared (him).” They also disagreed over the need for a new jail to handle city misdemeanor offenders — Carr isn’t sure it can be avoided (but says his office has worked hard to reduce the need for one), Holmes believes it can. We’ll add more details later – you’ll also see stories elsewhere, as reporters from the Seattle Times (WSB partner), Seattle Weekly, and The Stranger were here as well. Meantime, WSDW members voted on endorsements after the debate, and in the City Attorney’s race, they backed Carr; they didn’t issue endorsements in all races, but in the ones where they did – for County Executive, Dow Constantine; Sally Bagshaw for council position 4; Rob Holland for Port Commission; and they’d already endorsed Jessie Israel for council position 6. ADDED: Video from the closing statements by Pete Holmes and Tom Carr – including some of the aforementioned tension (Carr begins his clip by saying he’s “flabbergasted” at what you’ll hear Holmes say in the first clip):
The Weekly has published its story here, with more on the domestic-violence advocate issue we mentioned above. ADDED SATURDAY: Holmes alleged during the debate that Carr’s office had sent someone to jail for stealing a can of tuna. Carr just sent us a note saying he’d checked into the claim and has published his side of the story on his website.
Renae Gaines, who coordinates the Southwest Healthy Youth Partnership, a community group working to fight drinking and other dangerous choices among young people, forwards news that 15-year-old Nick Barnes, killed by alcohol after a Lewis County party last weekend, had attended Madison Middle School here in West Seattle. Here’s the Seattle Times (WSB partner) story about the incident. A schoolwide note shared by Renae says many at Madison knew Nick well, and asks for thoughts and prayers on behalf of his family. You can get involved in the West Seattle group’s work to help local kids avoid this kind of deadly danger – its next meeting is 6 pm next Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the Madison library (3429 45th SW).
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