West Seattle, Washington
23 Friday
All three of our area’s state legislators are speaking here tonight, so we’re opening a post to add any news nuggets pending further coverage later. First reminder – June 1st King County Executive candidates’ forum sponsored by Inspire, happening at Fauntleroy Church (right across the street from where the 34th DDs are meeting right now at The Hall at Fauntleroy) – here are full details. More to come as it happens. 7:44 PM UPDATE: The legislators have just given their briefings – most interesting tidbit, Rep. Sharon Nelson says she’ll know by tomorrow night if a major part of her payday-lending bill is going to be stricken before it’s signed. (She didn’t elaborate further, will be checking into that.) She also had the most notable behind-the-scenes tidbit, about the “underground” group of Dems called the “Blue Greens.” 8:05 PM UPDATE: Nobody asked about the viaduct/tunnel bill. LATER NOTE: We’ll publish a separate item in the morning including video of the legislators’ remarks, plus a few other news notes from the meeting.
Just got a note asking why a Coast Guard helicopter is circling near Alki Point. Quickly found this, thanks to the local USCG Twitter feed – search/rescue demonstration:
A Coast Guard search and rescue demonstration is scheduled for Elliott Bay, here, Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
An HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Astoria, Ore., MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Port Angeles, Wash., and a small boat crew from Station Seattle will conduct hoists and drop rescue equipment during the exercise. This demonstration will include low flying aircraft along the Seattle waterfront.
Attendees will get a look at some of the techniques used by the Coast Guard to rescue persons in distress.
RAINOUT: How rainy is it, you ask? West Seattle Little League just announced via Twitter that all games for today are rained out.
TEACHERS: When we reported about this time yesterday that Seattle Public Schools confirmed teacher layoffs had begun, we also said SPS expected to release more details today on how many people would lose their jobs. Spokesperson Patti Spencer now says that district HR is reviewing the information to “ensure that (it) is totally accurate”; no new timeline for when it will be made available.
PARKING: The agenda was just sent out (see it here) for next Tuesday’s City Council Transportation Committee meeting at which the Restricted Parking Zone changes — which have sparked concern in West Seattle community groups — may be voted on. Two of the three agenda items have to do with RPZs, and public comment will be taken toward the start of the meeting, which is at 9:30 am Tuesday in the council chambers at City Hall downtown.
From the city e-mail list updating what’s up with the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project work beneath and alongside the easternmost stretch of the West Seattle Bridge – several updates, including the latest on that “temporary closure” near 6th/Spokane on the surface; read on:Read More
Just received that invite to share, on behalf of Cooper Elementary, whose program is closing at the end of this school year, after the School Board voted to move Pathfinder K-8 into the building so its longtime “temporary” location on Genesee Hill could be shuttered. Cooper students are going to several schools, including Gatewood Elementary, which is reaching out in this invite (which also applies to the entire community) to a festival coming up later this month:
I’d just like to share with the W. Seattle Community that Gatewood Elementary is holding their annual Family Fun Fair, Saturday May 30th from 12-3pm.
Address: 4320 SW Myrtle ST. Most events in parking lot off of California Ave SW & SW Frontenac ST.
Inflatables, Carnival Games with prizes, Food, Pie Toss and Cake Walk (supports 4th & 5th Grade end of year camp to Warm Springs) Above events had a nominal charge. Free activities include: Bubbles, Face Painting and Sidewalk Art.
Please join us for this wonderful community event. We would like to especially extend an invitation to the Cooper Families that will be joining us next school year. Come and check out what a fabulous place Gatewood Elementary is!!
The Seattle Fire Department‘s newest Assistant Chief is not only the first woman to achieve that rank in the department, but also a West Seattle resident. A reception tomorrow will honor Assistant Chief Susan P. Rosenthal – read on for the official SFD announcement about her promotion and what she’s accountable for:Read More
Back in late February (original WSB story here), a Hot Dog Joes cart set up shop outside Beveridge Place Pub. Within weeks, it was gone. 
A few people e-mailed us wondering why; we recalled hearing that the cart was set up for a trial period, so didn’t look further until a recent tip that led us to get in touch with Hot Dog Joes proprietor Joe Jeannot (not pictured – photo shows the staffer on duty when we took the pic in Feb.). In a phone conversation, Jeannot told WSB, there is indeed more to the story. He says they folded up after two city-issued citations ($500 each): “City ordinances are making it tough for us to be there.” Street vendors usually deal with the Seattle Department of Transportation, but in this case, there’s a complicating factor – the new park next door. Vendors aren’t allowed to be within 200 feet of parks (here’s the specific Seattle Municipal Code section), and Jeannot says that rule puzzles him: “You can have bars next to a park, but hot-dog carts can’t be there?” He says that’s not the only problem, though, claiming a “lack of communication” from the city but not wanting to disclose full details. “We thought we’d resolve it quickly – I’ve opened carts all over Seattle and this is the first time it’s become this serious … I’ve been doing this with the city for 11 years, but this time it’s been a very long process,” said Jeannot – who by the way lives here in West Seattle, where he says he’s been trying to acquire a location for a long time: “I can’t believe I can’t get a hot dog cart in my own neighborhood.” We’ll keep following up on this to let you know what happens next. (And if you have another idea for what might be a hospitable West Seattle location without conflicts such as park proximity, Jeannot says he might be interested, observing that street vending would seem to be right in line with the Seattle philosophy of trying to encourage more walking, less driving.)
ADDED 1:35 PM: Side note from a discussion in comments – The city did issue a “request for proposals” this year for vendors INSIDE several of the city’s largest parks; in West Seattle, that included only Alki and Lincoln Park (Colman Pool), but no provision for vendors in OR near all the other parks. On a side note to the side note, we asked Parks who won the Alki/Lincoln vending contracts; Dewey Potter says both went to “The Cowboys, who will provide soft-serve ice cream, snacks, and drinks.”
Another update from last night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting: Almost a month after the third and final “design workshop” for potential changes to 
California Place Park, ANA heard the latest from a leader of Friends and Neighbors of North Admiral, the group that obtained a city grant to develop design ideas for the small park next to Admiral Church. Ann Limbaugh said landscape architect Karen Kiest is still working on her “final report” but that’s expected by month’s end. Meantime, FANNA is continuing to meet to discuss “what the right next steps are … for moving the project forward.” (The $15,000 city grant only paid for design work; more fundraising would be needed for any work to actually be done to the park – even the cheapest change envisioned in what was shown at last month’s meeting – as reported here – could cost $80,000.) According to Limbaugh, the current consensus is to “take a bit of a break … and let things settle in the neighborhood a little bit” before resuming discussions “in a month or two.” Park-change opponent Dennis Ross, also at last night’s meeting, asked Limbaugh, “How do the 700 people opposed to (park changes) figure into your plans?” (That number refers to signatures on a petition circulated by park-change opponents – here’s our archived coverage of the controversy, newest to oldest.) She replied, “There are a lot of people who think it’s a great idea – and worth moving forward,” and he countered, “And we have 700 people who don’t,” before the discussion moved on. Limbaugh also mentioned that FANNA is continuing to plan a celebration, to be held in the next month or so, in honor of everyone who participated in the process so far.
TONIGHT: West Seattle’s three state legislators – Sen. Joe McDermott, Rep. Eileen Cody and Rep. Sharon Nelson – will brief the 34th District Democrats on the just-completed legislative session – call it a sneak preview of their town hall in White Center this Saturday morning. Other hot topics on the 34th DDs’ agenda too (see it here) – they meet at 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy.
TOMORROW: It’ll be the second Thursday of the month (already!), and that means time to get out and enjoy the monthly West Seattle Art Walk. Browse the WSAW website to get a look at some of what you can see around the peninsula 6-9 pm Thursday – from the Seattle Lutheran High School students showing at Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) to black-and-white infrared photos on display at 8 Limbs Yoga (WSB sponsor) and much more (those examples are both in The Junction, but the Art Walk stretches from Admiral and Alki to Fauntleroy). Many venues offer refreshments, too. Here’s the official map to everyone who’s participating.
(April photo of Genesee P-Patch site courtesy Aaron Hernandez)
Also discussed at last night’s Junction Neighborhood Organization meeting, the plan for the new Genesee P-Patch (photo above) to be spotlighted as headquarters for a June 20th city Clean and Green event. As Aaron Hernandez from the P-Patch recently told WSB, “There will be some fun events capped off by a day filled with volunteers putting the final touches on the garden. Mayor Nickels will be present and will be introduced by Minh Chau Le, P-Patch Program West Seattle Coordinator, and Pastor Dan Jacobs from West Seattle Christian Church.” (WSCC provided the land for the P-Patch.) You can read more about the Clean and Green program here; last September’s Gateway cleanup along the Fauntleroy Way end of The Bridge was described as the biggest C&G ever!
Photos and story by Jonathan Stumpf
For West Seattle Blog
West Seattle, you should be proud.
Nine middle-school students from four local schools were honored by Mayor Nickels and hosts Ken and Marleen Alhadeff at City Hall last night during the 10th annual Mayor’s Scholars Awards Ceremony (as previewed here in March).
All were there to accept their awards, as you’ll see ahead:Read More
Ken e-mailed to say that the profane anti-gay phrase which has appeared repeatedly on the garage door of a Morgan Junction couple – and elsewhere, according to comments posted after our previous story about it – has now turned up on an area bus shelter, at Fauntleroy/Holly. He says, “I’ve reported it to SPD and Metro.” (WEEKEND UPDATE: Channel 13 also followed up on this.)
Three toplines to share from Tuesday night’s Junction Neighborhood Organization meeting at Ginomai (a stop on Thursday night’s West Seattle Art Walk, by the way) — read on:Read More
Thanks to Arbor Heights Elementary School for sharing photos of their visit to Fauntleroy Creek this week for the school’s annual salmon release – the classes involved included Ms. Barnicle‘s 5th graders and Mr. Wilkie‘s kindergarteners. This is just part of a busy schedule at the creek this time of year, with more than a dozen schools, mostly from West Seattle/White Center, visiting to release salmon; creek steward Judy Pickens schedules and assists them all. She also reports creek news for fauntleroy.net – where this update includes more on the school salmon releases, plus news that “Hillary,” believed to be last year’s sole would-be spawner, apparently found a mate after all.
Last time the Admiral Neighborhood Association met, we brought you first word of plans for a summer outdoor-concert series at Hiawatha Community Center. Tonight, as ANA gathered for its monthly meeting at Admiral Church, concert series organizer Katy Walum provided updates – read on for what’s in the works, dates and times, and how you can help:Read More
By Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The Delridge Community Center playground-planning meeting (earlier update here) just ended, with a firm idea of the types of toys that will be included in the final design and the preferred colors – purple for the plastic parts, spring green for the poles and sunny yellow for other metal parts like bars and railing.
The playground will be built with the help of KaBoom, with lots of community donations and sweat.
The fun part of the meeting was picking out the equipment; the wish list includes a loopy whoop, whirligig, all kinds of slides, a play house or village shop, a super satellite, e-z digger, and something called “crazy bones.”
Next, the equipment will be arranged into three designs that will be presented at another community meeting in about two weeks.
That was the fun part. There is also a lot of work. All the playground building will happen on Friday, July 17. There will be two days of prep work, before the big build.
Several people volunteered to be team captains, and they would love some more help from the community: Overseeing recruitment is Chris Southam (seattlesouthams@gmail.com); public relations, Holli Margell (holli.margell@gmail.com); safety and maintenance, Benjamin Pulanco (benjaminpulanco@gmail.com) and youth involvement, Lou Edwards (louannedwards@msn.com)
There is also a green committee to make sure the build is environmentally friendly, a food committee, and a logistics committee that is charged with figuring out where all the volunteers will park on the big day.
KaBoom has built about 1,600 of these playgrounds across the country and has the details down. The slides and swings and climbers are made by Playworld.
A week and a half after West Seattle’s first Zeeks Pizza opened in Morgan Junction, its neon sign with the rotating “Z” is in place tonight. The process took much of the day, during which several people e-mailed us about it, so we thought some might like to see the finished installation. Racking brain – there’s a rotating sign at the Admiral/California dry cleaners – anyone else in West Seattle have a rotating sign?
(January 2009 photo by C. Simmons)
You just might be hearing from West Seattleite Megan Lingafelter tomorrow — she’s starting a quest for donations to enhance a benefit auction to help a local music producer recover from a devastating loss during that huge fire alongside the Spokane Street Viaduct 4 months ago. (The photo above shows part of the burned wreckage, which was centered at Pacific Sheet Metal.) Read on to see the letter Megan is circulating:Read More
We got a tip earlier today saying some teachers at West Seattle High School had received layoff notices today – this tip came after the end of the school day, so we checked with Seattle Public Schools‘ communications staff to see if this was a districtwide occurrence. While spokesperson Patti Spencer won’t confirm specifics about WSHS or any other school, she did just confirm to WSB that “Seattle Public Schools is implementing a reduction in force of certificated staff … we had very much hoped to avoid that; however, with the level of budget reductions from the state, we couldn’t. Individuals are being informed by principals – we can share total numbers and more details tomorrow.” 8:08 PM UPDATE: The Seattle teachers’ union tells seattlepi.com they expect up to 170 teachers will lose their jobs. 10:50 PM UPDATE: This comment was just added, from Laura Turner:
Ten teachers at WSHS got RIF’d (I’m one of them). Five of us are Language Arts teachers. That is over half the department. We are currently teaching all the 9th grade LA sections well as teaching other levels including 11th, 12th (senior project), 10th grade honors, College Prep Writing, and Pathways reading. I am the Yearbook adviser, another RIF’d teacher is the Newspaper adviser, and one is the department head. This RIF is devastating news for the LA department, in particular, and the entire school community at WSHS.
Right after posing for that photo moments ago at Delridge Community Center, those kids all got stickers certifying they are “Playground Designers” – the drawings they made in the preceding hour are proof of that, too. The kids’ portion of the meeting to design DCC’s future playground is over – a spaghetti dinner is about to start – but if you’re interested in the project, there’s still time to get here and join in the grownups’ meeting (with child care provided) starting around 5:30 pm. End result: A playground is to be built, with the help of KaBoom, to replace the unsafe, aged one that DCC has now, in a one-day session (followed by a week or so of curing) in mid-July; the project still needs volunteer help and some money donations too – betsy (at) hoffmeisters (dot) com is your contact if you can pitch in.
ORIGINAL 3:37 PM REPORT: We’re checking on reports of police activity in The Junction – one tipster says scanner traffic indicates a man was held up at gunpoint:
Just heard on scanner, citizen reported being held up at gun point in parking lot at Jefferson Square – he was getting out of his car when a man came up, pointed gun at him and robbed him of his cellphone and (I think) wallet.
Dispatcher reported suspect description: 5’10-6″, blue jeans, baseball cap, armed with small handgun. … Listening now to cop try to locate the caller/victim who might be inside the Safeway.
Working to verify. Another e-mail says at least one chopper, possibly a news helicopter, is overhead. Steph subsequently e-mailed to say her husband …
… just had a freakin’ foot cop jump in his car and ask him for a ride to track down some creep! The cop had his gun and badge out and (he) whipped him around and then the creep came out of some bushes and the cop says, “that’s the guy!” and (he) hits the brakes and the cop jumps out and takes the creep down! The cop jumped in his car around the shell station at Fauntleroy SW & SW Alaska. The cop instructed him to about 41st where he jumped out and met another cop chasing the creep too. Go West Seattlites!
We’ve just arrived in the Jefferson Square vicinity (and 41st, east of there) and are NOT seeing any current police activity. Checking with SPD now by phone to see if this is something that’s wrapped up.
4:48 PM UPDATE: Just talked to Detective Jeff Kappel in the SPD Media Unit. He says a man reported getting held up at gunpoint at Jefferson Square – then changed his mind about cooperating with police, saying he didn’t want to file a report and didn’t want help, so police at that point had no choice but to chalk it down as a “provided assistance” call.
(looking through the aquarium’s front hall, back at the crowd gathering to watch)
ORIGINAL 2 PM REPORT: We’re at the Seattle Aquarium along with a few hundred political, business and community leaders to watch Governor Gregoire sign the Alaskan Way Viaduct deep-bored tunnel bill into law. The event’s scheduled to start in a few minutes; West Seattle-residing political leaders scheduled to be here include King County Council Chair Dow Constantine (who we’ve already seen) and Mayor Nickels; political theater outside included anti-tunnel mayoral challenger Michael McGinn talking with reporters, calling this a multibillion-dollar boondoggle and saying it’s not too late for the city to pull out. More as it happens.
2:23 PM UPDATE: The speeches are under way before the actual signing. After the mayor spoke (iPhone photo above), the governor said it took “guts” for legislators to approve this. To those who say it can’t be done, she said bluntly — “Watch us.” She opened by declaring, the era of The Viaduct “is over.” For emphasis, she repeated it: “It’s over. It’s over.” And she went on to say it would have been hard to anticipate a year ago that this history-making day would arrive. She stood at a podium next to the aquarium’s fish-filled wall, with about 20 political leaders surrounding her, and acknowledged many others, including members of the Stakeholders’ Advisory Committee who reviewed options over more than a year (though ultimately, their process ended with a recommendation different than the one proceeding now, West Seattle’s SAC reps Vlad Oustimovitch and Pete Spalding both support the deep-bored tunnel).
(WSB video of the bill-signing, added 2:46 pm)
2:31 PM UPDATE: The governor just signed SB 5768 – the tunnel bill – into law. A long round of applause followed. Everyone here has just been invited to a champagne reception – as for us, we’re catching the 3:20 King County Water Taxi back to West Seattle. Looks like more bill signings are ensuing here at the Aquarium as well. Meantime, the state hopes to start building the tunnel next year – to finish it in 2015 – and to keep The Viaduct up, as long as it’s deemed safe, until after the tunnel opens, at which time it would be torn down.
3:02 PM UPDATE: Official statement from Council Chair Constantine, just e-mailed (note he’s in our video):
“I was honored to join Governor Chris Gregoire for today’s signing of Senate Bill 5768, the legislation to fund the replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a deep-bore tunnel and surface roadway improvements.
“First, I think we have crafted a creative solution to a longstanding problem. A new elevated freeway would not have been an acceptable solution. I am glad we have moved beyond the antiquated practice of forcing freeways through cities. The Alaskan Way Viaduct has long been an ugly, noisy wall separating downtown from the waterfront. Its removal is a first, necessary step in reconnecting our central city.
“Secondly, I am proud to have been involved in helping to negotiate this solution. I made many trips to Olympia over the last year to meet with Governor Gregoire, former County Executive Ron Sims, Mayor Greg Nickels and legislative leaders as part of the Viaduct Oversight Committee. The deep-bore tunnel and a surface boulevard—combined with improvements to the Spokane Street Viaduct and the creation of a new stadium interchange for State Route 99—will maintain access for West Seattle and South King County residents to and through downtown Seattle. And, critically, because the tunnel will not share the alignment of the old viaduct structure, we also have the opportunity to maintain traffic on the SR 99 corridor during construction.
“I support this solution and will work to implement it.
“The challenge to Seattle and King County is to provide the other surface and transit improvements needed to make local transportation work. We now must consider how this work will be funded, how quickly it can be implemented, and how we will be able to sustain the needed transit service in the future.”
Adding one other clip from the event – the governor’s message to tunnel skeptics – may still be processing so please be patient:
One such skeptic, mayoral candidate Michael McGinn – we talked with him outside the event – will add that later.
Out of the WSB inbox, from Amber:
I just wanted to let you know about a hit & run near 16 th Avenue & SW Dawson St [map]. A drunk driver (assumedly) plowed into my father in law’s car that was parked in front of our house sometime early Monday morning (possibly around 4:00 or 5:00 am). The car is totaled and there were no skid marks on the street so they didn’t even try to stop. The police stated that they do not come out for a non-moving violation, just write up a report based on the call. It’s a long shot but if anyone knows anything it would really help. Thanks!
The non-emergency number, if you have any information, is 206-625-5011 (you can find that highlighted on the WSB Crime Watch page if you ever need to find it fast).
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